Wave on Wave
by the-boys-n-me
Summary: This story takes place in modern day Los Angeles and will cover several years in the lives of Jack & Ennis. The focus of their relationship is friendship, which develops slowly into love.
1. Chapter 1

This story is an AU/AU and takes place in modern day Los Angeles and will cover several years in the lives of Jack & Ennis. The focus of their relationship is friendship, which develops slowly into love.

I'll update this story once or twice a week. I'm not sure which days, so check back often. Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated.

Chapter 1

As Dr. Ennis Del Mar drank the last of his morning coffee, he felt the warm rays of the sun through the dining room window reflected off the ornate glass of the china cabinet. Despite his baby daughter's wails coming from her nursery upstairs, and his short night of sleep due to one of his arguments with his wife, not to mention their baby wasn't sleeping through the night, he let his mind drift to the day ahead. One thing he could count on was the weather, usually sunny and beautiful, just the way he liked it. Today he had a particularly interesting appointment scheduled that he was looking forward to with much anticipation. His light mood was interrupted as Alma came into the room. She was rattling on about how tired she was already and how much her head hurt because of Junior's teething, making it sound as if it was his fault. He gave her a peck on the cheek, acknowledging her complaints with a grunt and with that was out the door to begin his day.

…

As Ennis headed south in his shiny black BMW with the new leather smell, out of the corner of his eye he noticed Junior's pink baby booties hanging from his rear view mirror. They had been lovingly crocheted by her Aunt Anna. Ennis started to reflect on his life. It seemed unreal what he had accomplished at the age of 32. When he was orphaned at age 11, his life hadn't look very promising, but his sister and brother stepped up and raised him, being older than he was, 5 & 10 years respectively. They spoiled him by trying to make up for what he'd lost in his young life, and wanted him to have the finer things in life. Ennis would have been satisfied being a fisherman when he grew up, always being fascinated by the sea and boats, and dreaming of sailing off to fish for a living. His sister and brother had other aspirations for him though, and both worked night and day to give him a chance to make something of himself. He hadn't disappointed them, and worked hard to become a successful doctor they could be proud of.

His brother, Keith, who was yet to settle down, was able to follow his heart and became a cop in the city. Ennis was very proud of him but like his sister, often worried for his safety.

Ennis' sister, Anna, had given many of the best years of her life to her brothers, sometimes working three jobs to see them through. Ennis loved her like a mother. Ennis and Keith were now adults and had good careers, while Anna doted on her husband of four years. He was the chief of surgery at the hospital where Ennis was on staff, and Ennis had introduced them while he was doing his residency. It was a happy day when she wed and would be well taken care of. She deserved it after all the years she went without. Anna wasn't able to have children, so Junior was the apple of her eye and she was a fantastic aunt which pleased Ennis immensely. Ennis' brother-in-law, Jim, was a terrific uncle and he and Ennis were quite close in work and in their personal lives. Jim had been instrumental in establishing Ennis' practice but Ennis' personality and work ethic took care of the rest, making him extremely successful.

A car horn jolted him from his thoughts and he stepped on the gas at the green light and was again on his way, the spring breeze blowing through the open window ruffling his hair with the sun shining down on his arm. He made good time this morning, his habit of listening to the radio road report paying off. As he passed the flower shop a block from his office, he made a mental note to stop and get flowers for Alma on the way home from work.

...

Exiting the elevator, Ennis hurried over the brown and rust carpet toward his office.

"Morning, Connie, how's my favorite office manager?" he said to the slim blonde making coffee in the break room as he walked past on his way to his office.

"Dr. Del Mar, good morning, how's that little angel of yours today?"

"Teething and cranky, but beautiful as ever," he said with a smile. Seemed he couldn't keep a grin off his face when talking about Junior.

"Your first appointment is due at nine. I'll bring you a cup of coffee in a second."

A few minutes later Connie handed him a cup of strong black coffee in his "Great to be a Dad" mug. He smiled his thanks from where he was seated behind his mahogany L-shaped desk going over patient files on his computer. Ennis took a sip of the steaming coffee, then set the mug down on a coaster that was near photos of Alma and Junior, and one of the three of them at Disneyland. Ennis was comfortable in his office with the mahogany paneling, the one beige wall and the book shelves which were built on site along with his desk by a master craftsman a couple years ago. A big sunny window was positioned across from the desk letting the sun stream in nearly year round, and the view from the 10th floor was spectacular.

"Are all my appointments confirmed for today?"

"Yes, Dr. Del Mar. Even Jack Twist for 2:15."

"Good, that's one patient I'm very curious to meet."

"Yes, should prove to be quite interesting," she said as she got on with her morning duties.

...

After an uneventful morning of seeing patients, over lunch, Ennis thought back to when he'd first met Mr. and Mrs. John Twist Sr. who'd been needing a new family physician. Ennis hadn't thought he had much of a chance of being selected, feeling they'd go with someone who had been in practice longer, and someone older, but to his surprise, he was chosen. It was another feather in his cap as Alma put it, since shifting the focus of his practice to celebrities and the well-to-do. She'd been very proud of him. In fact, it was she who had pushed Ennis to gear his practice in a direction where he could make more money. Ennis wasn't in his profession to make the big bucks, he was in it to help people. To minimize arguments with Alma, he allowed her to convince him that he was perfect for working with people who required a high degree of discretion and secrecy. Hell, he didn't want his own personal business gossiped about so he understood this perfectly well. He was well respected and trusted in his profession so had built up a good reputation along with good list of patients.

Having the councilman and his wife as part of his practice hadn't hurt at all, and most of the time he got along well with them. Denise Twist was one of the nicest ladies he had met, and John could be nice too, but he had another side as well, and that took some getting used to. Denise Twist balanced the couple out and Ennis seemed to fit in with what they had been looking for and what they needed in a doctor. He and Alma had even been invited to their home socially on a few occasions during the past year since he had become their personal physician.

Several times Ennis had gotten an ear full from Mr. Twist about his son Jack. Seemed Jack was one of the subjects that tended to bring out the worst in John. Times like that, Ennis would just grunt and nod, and let John go on, half afraid to voice any opinion or make many comments, as he was not much of a conversationalist anyway. It seemed to help the man to have someone to vent to. Ennis figured maybe that was all that was needed, and hoped it was helpful for John with his ulcer and high blood pressure. Yes, meeting John Twist Jr. was going to be very interesting. Little did Ennis know in how many ways it would prove to be so.

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The office was abuzz with anticipation as Jack's appointment time drew nearer. Ennis could hear Connie chatting with Wendy, one of the nurses, and the topic of conversation was Mr. Twist.

"I wonder what he's like," Connie said to the younger red haired woman.

"I wonder, too. I saw a picture of him in People magazine and if he looks even half as hot in person as in his picture, WOW! I'd better freshen up before he gets here so I can make a good impression."

Ennis was amused by what he was hearing and tried to get back to what he was doing at his desk. He had also seen a couple pictures of Jack Twist in the family home, but they weren't recent photos. He found himself wondering what Jack would look like now, although didn't know why he'd care about that. He wanted to get some loose ends tied up before his new patient arrived, but was having a hard time getting his brain to focus on the task at hand as questions floated around in his mind about Jack as well.

From what he knew, Jack had been living in New York City for the past several years. John had said in one of his rants that the younger Twist had left about ten years before and hadn't set foot back home since, although had been back to Los Angeles a few times, his parents only hearing about it through the grapevine after the fact. This had to have hurt Mrs. Twist, Ennis was sure of that, but he had never heard her speak unfavorably about her son in all the months Ennis had known her, unlike her husband. Whatever caused this rift had to have been pretty serious but Ennis never speculated about the cause. It wasn't any of his business. All he knew now was that a couple weeks ago Jack had arrived home with his dog in tow, and was staying at the family estate. He had been suffering from migraines for some time, thus the reason for today's visit. Ennis wondered if the reason for Jack's return home was to seek medical attention, and to have the support of his parents while he was dealing with his debilitating headaches. How much support he'd be able to get from his parents though, wasn't clear. He hoped he could be of some help to his new patient.

…

Jack Twist parked his Blue Land Rover in the parking structure adjacent to the building where Dr. Del Mar's office was located. He sat behind the wheel for awhile wondering if he was even going to go in. He was apprehensive about this Dr. Del Mar because his dad had said he'd like him, that he and Jack being about the same age, this doctor wasn't old and stuffy like their last doctor. Jack was not convinced he'd like the new doctor considering he and his dad never agreed on anything. He was also not convinced any doctor could help him with his headaches as long as he'd been suffering with them and how bad they were at times. He had lost count of the number of doctors he'd seen. He was here though, and appointments with this doctor were hard to get, so he knew he was going in.

Connie cheerfully greeted Jack as he entered the waiting room. Her eyes lingered on him and for a few seconds she didn't speak, but finally found her voice.

"Have a seat Mr. Twist, we have these forms for you to start filling out."

He gave her a big smile and said, "Thank-you, ma'am." He cleared his throat and asked for a glass of water. "Oh sure, no problem," and Connie went to the cooler and brought him a cup, handing it to him with a warm smile.

Jack felt the smallest hint of a headache coming on. He started on the many forms and as he worked, he noticed a large saltwater aquarium across the room. The brightly colored fish swimming slowly back and forth had a strangely comforting effect. Looking closer, he noticed how elaborately the aquarium was decorated. One thing that stood out was a large fishing boat sitting on the bottom. The name on the side was "Seas the Day." He started to feel a little better and hoped the headache wouldn't develop into anything major.

It wasn't long after he had the forms finished that Wendy appeared and asked him to come on back. He was taken to Dr. Del Mar's office, where the doctor stood to greet him.  
>As they shook hands the thought flashed through Ennis' mind that living in New York must have agreed with Jack, "I'm Dr. Del Mar," he said.<p>

As they shook hands, Jack realized his head was continuing to feel better and better. He mused for a few seconds wondering if it was the aquarium, this majestic office, or the doctor in the crisp white jacket and gold silk tie standing in front of him. "Pleased to meet you, Dr. Del Mar, I'm Jack Twist," Jack said with a small smile.

As Ennis shook Jack's hand and heard his voice, he started to get a strange feeling that was both exhilarating and a little frightening, although he had no idea why. "The prodigal son," slipped from Ennis' lips.

"Don't believe everything you hear," Jack said slightly annoyed by the statement.

"Oh, I don't. I know there's two sides to everything, but to hear your daddy tell it..." Ennis looked down at his shoes, realizing he had put his foot in his mouth and simply said "never mind." _What am I saying, talking like this to a patient, have I taken leave of my senses? You're a professional, Ennis, act like one._

Ennis' mind came back to what was being said by Jack, "No, finish, please."

"Uh, I think we got off the track here - you're here about your migraines, right?" Ennis' professional mask came over his face and it was all business then. "Mr. Twist, have a seat and we'll start sorting out your problem."

"Mr. Twist is my old man, I'm Jack."

"Alright, Jack it is. Uh, speaking of your dad, I'm concerned about the stress level of you living with your parents. It seems like there's tension there. You know stress can aggravate your condition."

"Well, the house is big enough so we really don't run into each other all that much, and I haven't made any long range plans, but if I decide to stay in L.A., I'll for sure get my own place."

"You don't know if you're staying?"

"No, not at this time, I'll see how it goes."

Ennis let this thought settle into his brain. It disturbed him on some level but he wasn't sure why exactly. After an hour, Ennis shook hands with Jack and sent him on his way.

…

Jack left with the orders for an MRI, CT scan and CBC. These tests were not new to him, he'd undergone them in the past, so he wasn't holding out much hope that they'd be beneficial. However, Dr. Del Mar had discussed the medication he was on, and possible alternatives, plus even mentioned acupuncture and something called biofeedback, and Jack was impressed with Ennis' determination and willingness to work with him to find a solution to this problem that was plaguing him. Out in the Land Rover Jack was greeted by Max, his Lab Collie mix, who had been with him for nearly ten years. He hadn't been a pup when Jack adopted him so was getting up in years. He and Max had been through a lot together. Jack rubbed his hands through Max's soft black & white fur and rubbed his face on the top of his head.

"Even if the house was small, when you want to avoid people it's easy to never see one another, right boy?" Max licked his master's face and Jack took what comfort he could from that.

Something else that seemed to give Jack comfort was the fact he had another appointment with Dr. Del Mar in two weeks. Usually it took longer to get appointments but the doctor had told Connie he wanted Jack squeezed in, so Connie had worked her magic with the schedule. Now Jack had to be sure and have his tests as soon as possible so they'd be in by his next visit.

…

After Jack left, Ennis started checking through his notes and the forms that were filled out to make sure everything was in order. Connie entered the office informing him his next patient was waiting. Before she left she spoke about a few observations she had about Jack Twist.

"Dr. Del Mar, did you see the color of Mr. Twist's eyes?"

"They were blue, weren't they?" Ennis said matter-of-factly.

"Not just any shade of blue, maybe aqua? No, more of a sky blue..."

"I think they were sapphire blue," Wendy chimed in as she walked past the open office door.

"And the man's eyelashes, my gosh, they were so long and made his eyes look even sexier, and he was charming besides!"

"Connie, don't forget you're a married woman."

"I haven't forgotten, but Rob and I have an understanding, we can look, just not touch."

Ennis smiled and shook his head quite amused. "I always thought Rob had nice eyes, brown aren't they?"

Ennis found it difficult to give his full attention to the next patient and was glad when that last appointment was over so he could head home.

Pulling into his drive-way at 5:30 p.m., he realized that buying flowers for Alma had totally slipped his mind.

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

April showers bring May flowers, so the saying goes, Ennis thought. The gloom outside the bay window of the Del Mar kitchen matched the mood he was in these days because of Alma. Since rising at what seemed like dawn, Ennis had his hands full getting Junior changed, dressed and fed. He could now take a breath or two as she relaxed in her playpen, quiet for a few precious moments. He hoped it would last. Since he had no early appointment scheduled for the day, he had an extra hour before having to leave, so tried to smooth things over with his wife. He had gotten up and worked to get Junior presentable to take some of the burden off Alma. Looking at the baby now in her pink and white romper adorned with Peter Rabbit, peacefully gazing up at her Noah's Ark mobile, he couldn't believe what a mess she could get herself into.

The night before, he and Alma had gone head to head once again about what he considered to be the same old subject, which always turned into an argument. Why would she want to go back to work? They didn't need the money, and had agreed she would leave her job to stay home with their baby, at least for the first few years. Now after less than a year, she was tired of being a stay-at-home mother? He couldn't wrap his head around that. Well, maybe he could see her point a little. He knew it wasn't always a walk in the park tending to the needs of a small baby, especially when Junior seemed to have been born with more than her share of attitude. She was a strong-willed little bundle, no argument there. He smiled to himself. That was one of the things about his little girl that was so endearing to him. She had spunk. That fact aside, she was a handfull. He'd told Alma over and over it was going to get better...soon. As soon as she stopped teething, as soon as she started sleeping through the night, as soon as she was potty trained...and he was not comfortable having a "stranger" raising his daughter. They had an agreement damn it, why was she harping on this at every turn?

He thought back to when they'd met. Alma was a pharmaceutical representative, and had eyes for him from the moment their paths crossed, so he was told by several co-workers. They encouraged him, so he'd invited her for coffee a few times. They found they had one very strong bond, and that was they had both lost their parents. One thing led to another, and that's how they ended up where they were now. Back then she was sweet, quiet and fun loving. He couldn't remember the last time they'd had any fun. Where had the days of driving to Big Bear to play in the snow gone? Or going ice skating in Culver City, or even to a movie? Seemed those days had flown out the window even before she had gotten pregnant. Had they been drifting apart without him even seeing it? Before letting himself think any deeper on that, he heard Alma coming down the stairs. To his surprise, she had a slight smile on her face.

"Mornin', honey, what's all this you've done?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd get up and spend some time with Junior. Get her ready for her day."

"Thanks, that was thoughtful of you. I can't believe I slept so late," she said with a loud yawn.

"What did she have for breakfast?"

"I gave her formula and then a little bit of rice cereal."

"She didn't have any fruit? Ennis, I like to give her a little fruit in the morning too," Alma said in a stern voice.

"O.k., well, can't she have some of that at lunch?"

Alma acted as if she hadn't heard him, going on to say, "I don't know if that romper you have her in is warm enough. And what's that on her head?"

"Uh, I put her headband on."

"Ennis, she doesn't need that, she's not going out! For heavens sake, it will just end up getting all tangled."

With a slight twitch of his mouth and a grunt, Ennis took the opportunity to terminate the conversation. "Well, Alma, I need to get started, traffic and all."

"O.k., then, see you tonight."

As Alma began shuffling around in her purple kimono and flip flop slippers, seemingly bothered by what wasn't quite clear to him, he left the house for another day of seeing patients, thinking that the next morning she'd be able to tend to Junior her own way, what with his extra early appointment with Jack Twist.

Before he could get out the door, he heard her holler, "Ennis, don't forget a week from Friday I'm having a girl's night out! You need to make sure you're here to sit with Junior that night!"

"Right, Alma, I remember," he said, and closed the door. As he opened his umbrella to face the rain, he thought how it was too bad it didn't work with someone who rained on your parade indoors. Even the chilly drizzle couldn't put a damper on his mood the way his wife had.

…

_Fuck, make a mental note not to make anymore 8:00 a.m. appointments, Jack! At least the sun is shining today, not like that shit we had yesterday._

Jack slammed on his brakes for the hundredth time, shouting out to Max to brace himself, and feeling sorry at having jarred the dog from his position, especially because of his arthritis. The early morning traffic was the pits. Well, wasn't any worse than trying to drive in New York, actually better, so he tried not to complain.

"What fool drives in New York City anyway, Max?" Well, he'd had no choice since his gear wouldn't fit into a cab so he'd had to drive. Commuting to work, hauling all his stuff around, just wasn't his idea of fun. Someday...someday...

"Fuck you, asshole!" he shouted at a young kid in a white Ford Expedition that nearly cut him off. "Don't worry, Max, we're almost there. Hopefully we'll still be in one piece. Well, if I'm not, I'm sure Dr. Ennis Del Mar could put me back together." Jack laughed, and wondered why he would think a strange thought like that. _Too much daydreaming, come back to reality._

_...  
><em>

Twenty hectic minutes later, Jack walked into the waiting room, 8:05 on the dot.

Ever cheerful, Connie, greeted him with, "Good morning, Mr. Twist! Isn't it a lovely day out there?"

"Well, it's a little early for me, but yes it is, especially compared to yesterday. I'd almost forgotten it ever rains in L.A."

"Oh, you're just like Dr. Del Mar. He always grumbles about bad weather. Oh, not that I'm saying you were grumbling!"

"It's o.k., ma'am, I didn't think that," Jack said, and flashed her one of his winning smiles.

"We're pretty informal around here, why don't you call me Connie?"

"Alright then. Connie it is. Pretty name for a pretty lady. And please, call me Jack."

Jack noticed that Connie blushed a little, and just then the nurse poked her head into the waiting room to call Jack in.

"I don't believe you're the same young lady I saw here on my first appointment," Jack commented as they walked down the hall.

"I'm Mary. Maybe Wendy or Cassie was here before."

"The nurse I saw had red hair."

"Then that would be Wendy, Mr. Twist."

"Call me Jack. You have pretty hair too, Mary. I've always liked blonde hair. Guess you always want what you don't have," Jack said as he ran his fingers through his own hair.

"Thank-you Mr...uh, Jack. I'd like to have Wendy's red hair. There aren't that many true red heads. Here, let me put you in Dr. Del Mar's office. You'll be more comfortable in there. I expect him any second. He's never late."

"Must be stuck in traffic," Jack added.

...

Glancing around from his chair, Jack noticed things he hadn't seen the first time, like family photos on the desk. He was just getting a closer look when he heard Dr. Del Mar's low voice in the outer part of the office, and then the door swung open.

"Sorry I'm late, Jack," he said, extending his hand.

Jack noticed he was a bit winded and figured he didn't like being late. Jack stood up to shake Ennis' hand.

"How are you, Jack. Hope I didn't keep you waiting long?"

"No, no, I was just noticing your photos here. You have a kid." The last statement wasn't a question, rather an observation.

"Yeah, my little girl, Alma Junior." Jack noticed Ennis' face lit up with pride as he said her name.

"How old?"

"Eight months old."

"She's beautiful." And what seemed like an afterthought he added, "And so is your wife."

"Yes, my wife, Alma. Been married three years."

"Alma Sr.," Jack said with a small smile.

"Yeah, Alma Sr.," Ennis chuckled, and looked as if he was going to say something else, but didn't continue.

"Well, you've got a real nice family."

"Speaking of families, how is yours?"

"They're fine, just fine. Like I said before, we don't really see each other all that much," Jack said.

Ennis saw a look in his blue eyes that caused a deep sadness inside. He hurt for Jack, for the elder Twists, and for himself too, for having had such a short time with his own parents. Clearing his throat Ennis said, "Well, let's get down to business. I've got some tests to go over with you."

Jack wasn't surprised to hear everything was normal. He'd figured as much. They discussed medications again, and Ennis asked questions about the frequency of the headaches. Jack had suffered one during the past two weeks which didn't seem to alarm the doctor, but it had put Jack in bed for nearly two entire days, so he was not encouraged by the new doses of medication he'd been advised to use. They discussed all this at length, including questions about diet, and came to decisions of what to begin trying next. Jack felt hopeful that something was going to start working. Dr. Del Mar had a way about him that made Jack feel he had everything under control and it would work out.

As the consult was drawing to an end, Ennis instructed Jack to make an appointment to return in three weeks.

"As long as it's not at 8:00 again," Jack joked.

"Sorry about that. Tell Connie what you prefer, and she'll do her best."

As they walked to the front desk, Connie informed the doctor that she'd just hung up with his next patient saying she was running behind, and would be at least an hour late. "Said she was stuck at the manicurist," Connie chuckled.

"Ah, the joys of working with celebrities," Ennis grimaced. "Appointments will be backed up later for sure, especially since hers is a long one. But you probably know all about people who think they're the center of the universe, being in the line of work you are, right, Jack?"

"Yeah, photographing celebrities in the studio or on site, I've run into the same problems you have. You just have to grin and bear it."

Ennis turned to Connie, "Looks like I have a little free time then. Maybe time for a coffee break."

"Yes, doctor, you do."

Turning to Jack, Ennis said, "Why don't you let me buy you a cup of coffee to help wake you up. It's the least I can do after getting you up and out so early."

"Well, I never pass up an opportunity for a cup of coffee...sure, that would be great."

"Connie, I'll be back by ten," and with that, they were on their way.

...

When they reached the sidewalk, Ennis told Jack there was a Starbucks a short distance away. Jack suggested going in his vehicle so he could check on Max.

Raising his eyebrow Ennis asked, "Max?"

"My best friend," Jack said.

"Ah, must be your dog, man's best friend and all that," Ennis smiled.

Max was excited to see his master coming, and was a friendly dog, so greeted Ennis as well.

"Just let me get him some water, and then we can get going. Dr. Del Mar, would you mind handing me that thermos of water over there?" Jack asked, as he picked the dish up from the floorboard.

"Sure, no problem. By the way, call me Ennis."

"O.k., Ennis."

After Max drank his fill, Jack got everything situated and was ready to go.

"Max is a pretty dog, Jack. And this Land Rover sure is beautiful. What color would you call this?"

"It's Buckingham Blue."

Ennis thought on that as they drove off with Billy Joel playing on the sound system.

"I hope the music is o.k. with you," Jack said.

"It's fine. I know all of Billy Joel's songs. My sister was a big fan and had his music playing all the time when I was a kid. I even have his cd's in my own collection."

"I used to hear all his music back in New York in a piano bar I used to hang out in. I've always loved piano music. Even learned to play. Can play a bit of guitar and even the harmonica," Jack volunteered.

"Wow, I'm impressed. Do you have a piano?"

"I have one at my folk's place," Jack said with a faraway look in his eyes.

"I learned to play guitar a little when I was a teenager," Ennis added.

"Great, maybe someday we can start a band," Jack joked.

"Right, physician to the stars meets photographer to the stars, and the rest is history!" Ennis laughed.

They arrived at Starbucks in good time. The traffic and lights seemed to cooperate. As they were pulling into the parking lot, "New York State of Mind" was nearly ending and Ennis saw a melancholy look in Jack's eyes. He wondered briefly what put it there, but then it was quickly gone as Jack put the SUV in park, turned off the engine, set the parking brake, and opened the door.

Inside, they were again lucky, as the line wasn't very long. Ennis told Jack to go ahead and tell the brewista what he'd like, and if he wanted anything to eat, that was his treat too. Ennis knew he would need something because a late lunch was in his future due to his altered appointment schedule.

"What can I get you, sir?" the polite young lady asked.

"I'll have a Venti Caramel Macchiatto, extra shot of caramel and extra whipped cream, and to eat, an apple fritter."

"Can I have the name for on the cup?"

Ennis stepped up and said, "Ennis,...and I'll have the coffee of the day, black, Venti. To eat, I'll have oatmeal with dried fruit."

The brewista rang up the sale, and proceeded to get their order ready.

Jack chose a table by the window where he could keep an eye on Max. Ennis arrived with their food, and shortly after, their coffee order was ready.

Ennis tried not to have a disapproving look on his face when he focused on Jack's order. "Jesus, Jack, do you know how many calories and fat are in all that?"

Jack gave Ennis a funny look and choked out a laugh, "You should be glad you said that to me and not your wife."

Ennis was taking a sip of his coffee and almost spit it out as laughter erupted. He laughed hard enough that tears came to his eyes. "Oh, God, yes," he said in a strangled voice.

When Ennis gained his composure he said, "I haven't laughed that hard in...I don't know when." He felt a bit self conscious for his outburst, so looked around to see if anyone was staring, but no one seemed to be paying any attention.

He cleared his throat and asked, "How's Max doing out there, Jack?"

Jack still had a small smile on his lips, "Doing fine. The potty break he had before my appointment should hold him awhile. I'm going to need to get him a vet soon. Not sure how to find a good one."

"One of my nurse's has two cats, Siamese, and lives out your way. I can ask her who she takes them to."

"Thanks. That would be a big help. Do you have any pets?"

"No. Alma and I don't really have time for one, and she's not exactly an animal lover, and back when I was a boy we really couldn't afford any. I love animals though." After taking another drink of coffee he continued, "When I was young, my brother and I would go down to the Redondo pier and feed the stray cats scraps when we had some. That was about as close as I got to having a pet."

Jack saw a soft look came over Ennis' face, and listened as he went on with what seemed like some effort. "When I was a teenager, Keith had a friend whose family had a 35 foot sailboat. We were invited out on it a few times. Those were some good days. His daddy even showed me and Keith how to hoist the sail, sea anchor the boat, dock it, and even steer it. That was some feeling I'll tell you."

"Sounds great, Ennis," Jack said, noting the twinkle in his eye, like he'd come alive just thinking about it.

"I haven't thought of those days in a long time," Ennis said. "Being out on the ocean, there's no feeling quite like it."

Jack couldn't help but notice a flash of sadness in Ennis' eyes when he spoke of those times. "Do you ever go boating now?"

"No. Alma, she likes mostly cold weather. She doesn't do too well out in the sun. Gets sun burned real fast, and she's worried about skin cancer and all, getting wrinkles..." he tried to force a smile and sounded sad as he spoke those words. "I'm hoping Junior won't take after her in that way. Maybe she'll be able to spend time at the beach when she's older. I could take her there with me."

"I hope so, Ennis. What about your brother, he doesn't go anymore?"

"He's pretty busy...he's a cop, and between his job and mine, we just don't make the time to get together much. Catching a cup of coffee together is about all we've had time for lately," Ennis said with a sigh. Changing the subject, Ennis asked, "You like the beach?"

"Yeah, I like it a lot. I missed it when I was living back east. Each time I'd fly out here for a photo shoot I'd always try and make time to go. I like walking, sometimes roller blading, biking along the beach...it relaxes me and gives me time to think. Never done any open water boating though."

"You'd love it. Lots of time for thinking out on the water." Ennis went on to ask, "You enjoy what you do then, photographing people?"

"Yeah I do, despite the sometimes, let me say, difficult subjects." He smiled. "I think my favorite assignments are on site rather than in studio, especially beach shoots. Even though you have to lug the equipment along and have weather conditions to deal with, when you get it just right you get some excellent results. The color of the water, sometimes it's so beautiful, and gives such a peaceful feel to the photos and the people in them. To tell you the truth, it's easier dealing with lighting, wind and all that than with the ridiculous demands of some of the stars." He chuckled and shook his head, obviously recalling some of his most memorable experiences.

Ennis smiled as he said, "I can just imagine some of the good shots you'd get with that blue ocean in the background."

After a minute of silence, Ennis said in a quiet, tentative voice, "Have you made any plans yet about staying in L.A.?"

"I'm still not sure. A lot will depend on how well I do with my migraines...among other things." He didn't elaborate, but Ennis figured he meant his daddy.

Ennis surprised himself by saying, "Jack, if you decide to leave, let me know before you go o.k?" He wasn't sure where that came from, but he couldn't take it back then.

Jack glanced at him curiously, "O.k., Ennis, sure."

Ennis was enjoying the easy conversation and relaxed feeling, sitting in a coffee house in the middle of a week-day morning, but the diligent doctor in him knew it had to come to an end. "We'd better be getting back," he said reluctantly.

"Sure, guess it's that time," Jack agreed, and they both stood up gathering their trash, and tossing it in the can on their way out the door. The friendly girl who'd taken their order called out, "Bye, come back again!" Jack flashed her a smile and Ennis gave her a small wave.

On their way to join Max, Jack said, "Do you ever stop off for a beer after work, or go out on the weekend? I thought maybe we could go out some night, that is if your wife wouldn't mind."

"Oh, she lets me out sometimes," Ennis chuckled. "I'd like that."

Ennis gave Jack his number and Jack said he'd give him a call and it would be his treat this time.

The drive back to Ennis' building was just as enjoyable as the rest of the outing had been. Arriving near the back entrance, they finished singing "Still Rock & Roll To Me," by Billy Joel, both belting it out and laughing. From the backseat, Max was enjoying it as much as they were, smiling his doggie smile and keeping time with his long black tail. As they came to a stop Ennis checked his watch and slipped back into doctor mode saying, "Well, gotta get back to work. I'll see you later," as he reached for the door handle.

Jack nodded and said, "Thanks for the coffee. Remember, the next one's on me." He drove off feeling better all around than he had in a long time.

...

As Ennis figured, there were a couple of patients waiting, and he felt guilty for having taken such a long coffee break. He hurried to let Connie know he was back. As she handed him a list of messages, she must have sensed how he was feeling because she said, "You deserved a break, Dr. Del Mar."

He paused, smiled and said, "Yeah, I did, didn't I?" Then as he walked toward his office, over his shoulder he said, "Buckingham Blue."

"Excuse me, Doctor?"

"Buckingham Blue. I think Jack's eyes are Buckingham Blue."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jack's thoughts were lost in the music as his fingers floated across the piano keys. He didn't notice his mother entering the room. She was an attractive woman, just past her mid sixties with dyed brunette hair. She smiled, then stopped in her tracks as she listened quietly to the music coming from the piano. It didn't take Jack long to sense her presence, and his playing stopped as he looked up at her.

"Go on, Jack, keep playing. It sounded lovely. That was New York State of Mind, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was," he said, his eyes drifting down to the keys.

"I haven't heard you play since you've been home. Have you?"

"Once or twice. I was surprised it was still in tune."

A sly smile crossed her face, "After your phone call, I had it tuned. You sound good, especially for not having played in so long. In fact, you didn't sound a bit rusty."

"I played some when I was in New York."

"Oh you did? A friend's piano?"

"No, I played some in a bar, you know, to make some extra money."

"You worked there?"

"Yeah, just a couple nights a week, for awhile. Found out I liked it, so kept it up even when I didn't have to anymore."

"Speaking of work, what are your plans for that?"

"As a matter of fact, I have a couple photography jobs on my schedule for next week. You can tell dad not to worry. I'm not planning to freeload, and if I decide to stay in L.A., I'll be finding a place for Max and me."

Before his mom could respond, John Twist entered the room. Jack felt an icy chill directed at him, as usual, from the sober faced gray haired man. "Don't stop talking on my account," he said curtly.

"Jack has been playing again, he sounds wonderful," Jack's mom said with pride in her voice.

"Yeah, well, the piano has just been sitting gathering dust, best it be used. I'm surprised it was still in tune."

Changing the subject, John's tone warmed up a degree or two as he said, "Jack, that dog of yours is having trouble walking. I just had to help him get up the back steps."

"He's not a puppy anymore, Dad, and he has arthritis. I have an appointment at the vet. Monday. He has some pain meds from the vet., back in New York, and he'll need some more." After a pause Jack added, "Thanks for helping him up the steps."

John didn't acknowledge Jack's thanks, rather said he had to get going to a meeting downtown, and with that, left to gather his things, leaving his wife and son at the piano.

"Jack, I hope you know you're welcome to stay here as long as you like. This is your home after all. There's plenty of room."

"I don't know if there's such a thing as plenty of room for me and dad under the same roof."

"Honey, he was so happy when I told him you were coming back, he really was."

"Are you sure that wasn't wishful thinking on your part?"

His mom didn't say anything for a few seconds so Jack got up and said, "You don't have to answer, Mom," kissed her cheek and left the room.

...

Alma was in a better mood than usual on her Friday girl's night out. She hurriedly recited a list of instructions, making sure Ennis was prepared to tend to Junior for the next four or five hours. She reminded him there were beans in the crock pot, and cornbread for his supper.

She kept glancing out the front window for her ride to pull up, and when it did, gave Ennis a quick peck on the lips, and was gone in a flash, like she couldn't get out fast enough. Ennis hoped she didn't turn an ankle in her haste to get down the driveway in her 5 inch stilettos.

Junior had been fed and was for the moment mesmerized by her mobile in the play pen, so the house was quiet. All that could be heard was the grandfather clock ticking in the entryway. Ennis put a cd in the stereo. The piano and harmonica when Billy Joel's "The Piano Man" started playing, made an unusual feeling of contentment wash over him. Junior seemed to like it too, and started to coo, so he picked her up and held her in his arms while father and daughter swayed to the music. He thought how precious time was, how fast it moved, and the picture of a grown Junior dancing at her wedding flashed through his mind.

A half hour later, as Ennis started the dish washer, the phone rang.

"Hello, Del Mar residence."

"Ennis, it's Jack."

"Jack, how's it going? What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was kinda at loose ends tonight and was driving around, and ended up out in the Century City area and wondered if you'd be able to come out for a beer, so thought I'd call and ask."

"I'd of liked that but see, Alma has gone out tonight and I'm sitting with Junior."

"Oh, o.k., no problem, we'll make it another time then."

"O.k...Uh, Jack, why don't you come over here...to my place...I have plenty of Bud in the refrigerator...we can have a beer here."

"Well...uh, if you're sure."

"Sure, that would be fine, come on over. Let me give you directions."

After Ennis gave Jack his address and directions they hung up. Ennis figured it would take Jack about a half hour, tops, to arrive. He glanced around to see if anything was out of place, and to pick up a few things to make the family room look more presentable. Next, he went into the kitchen to see if there were any bags of snacks to offer Jack with their beer. He found some party mix so that would do. At least he hoped it was something Jack would like. He hurried to check Junior and make sure she was still clean and awake. He hoped that she'd still be up when Jack arrived. He was anxious to show her off, and also wanted her to stay up as late as possible so she might sleep for a longer stretch in the night.

He was fidgety as he waited, and considered whether to put something nicer on Junior, but not knowing if there was time, decided her turquoise Lil' Princess t-shirt and diaper would do. He checked the t.v. guide to see if there would be anything on that Jack would like. If not, there were dvd's that they could choose from. He hadn't expected company, and wasn't used to entertaining, at least not without Alma there, and the feeling he had was excited nervousness.

...

Jack found the house, and soon was standing on Ennis' front porch ringing the doorbell.

"Hey," Ennis said as he answered the door. "Glad you could come." He held the door open for Jack. "So, you found the place o.k. then." Ennis looked down, wishing he could think of something more sensible to say. "Well, of course you did, you're here and all," he went on, making himself feel even more foolish as Jack stepped inside.

"Yeah, I found it fine. This is a real nice place you got here," his lips curving into a slight smile as he spoke.

"Well, come on in and meet Junior."

"I'd love to meet her."

Ennis reached into the play pen and scooped his daughter into his arms. He gave her a kiss, and gently shifted her position so Jack could get a better look. "This here is Alma Junior. Say hello to Jack, sweetheart." Ennis smiled proudly as he waited for Jack's reaction to his little princess.

"Wow, she's a doll!"

Ennis could tell Jack was sincere in his praise. He could see it in his eyes. "I think she takes after her mama."

"Oh, I don't know, Ennis; I see she's got the same curls you do."

"Yeah, well..." Ennis felt a blush working its way up his neck.

"You want kids someday?"

"If I thought I'd have one this beautiful I just might, but I really don't know if I do or not. Guess I should have a wife first."

"Yeah, that might help," Ennis said with a smile.

"Well, I'll get us a couple of beers after I get Junior down for the night. You can make yourself at home down here. I'll be back in a few minutes. Find something on t.v. that suits you. TV's in there." He gestured toward the family room, and disappeared up the stairs with a sleepy Junior.

Jack turned on the big screen and sat down on the sectional. He tried ESPN and found a baseball pre-season game on, so he left it there.

It wasn't long until Ennis came back and turned on the baby monitor. "Hey, a baseball game. I love baseball."

"Great, me too," Jack said as he struggled to settle onto the mauve colored sectional that was crowded with many ruffled multicolored pillows.

"Just throw some of those on the floor," Ennis said.

Jack smiled and said, "Thanks, it would be more comfortable with less pillows."

It was abundantly clear by the colors and decor that the room had been decorated for a woman's taste, unlike Ennis' office which was definitely decorated with a man in mind.

"I'll be right back with our beers and snacks," Ennis said as he headed for the kitchen.

Before he returned, Jack walked in the direction Ennis had gone and called out, "Ennis, I'll be right back in, I'd better walk Max."

Ennis stepped out of the kitchen and said, "Oh, Max is with you? He's used to being inside isn't he? I wouldn't mind if you brought him in."

"Alright, if you're sure it's o.k.; he's housebroken and usually just stays quiet on the floor."

"Guess I should have asked if you were housebroken before I let you in," Ennis said with a chuckle.

"Friend, you're one funny guy, has anyone ever told you that before?"

"As a matter of fact, no, I don't believe anyone has," Ennis said, still chuckling.

Jack and Max came in after a short walk, and Jack directed the dog to lie down by the coffee table, and he obeyed perfectly. He gingerly got into a comfortable position and had a look of contentment.

Jack took a handful of snack mix and sat down next to where his beer had been placed and said, "Thanks for getting back to me with the phone number for the vet."

"No problem. Wendy was glad to be of help, and it gave her a chance to go on and on about her cats, which she does to anyone and everyone who'll listen," Ennis said with a fond smile.

Jack and Ennis enjoyed the game along with their food and drinks. They only took a break for Ennis to check on Junior, and Jack to grab more beer from the refrigerator. While they were away from the t.v., the Dodgers scored on a massive home run to left. They laughed at the fact no scoring had gone on while they were watching, but when they left it did. Ennis said they should plan on going to a game this summer at Dodger Stadium. Jack said it sounded like fun.

At one point Ennis noticed Jack pinch the bridge of his nose, and asked how his headaches had been. He said his last one had been a week ago, and had lasted nearly the whole week-end. Ennis sensed that Jack was discouraged, so tried to reassure him that there would be a solution to his problem, it would just take a little time. About that time the Dodgers got another hit, and their attention was pulled back into the game.

Time flies when you're having fun, and suddenly Ennis was jarred back to reality as he heard Max give a soft bark and saw his ears perk up. At the same time a car door slammed, and Ennis realized that it was time for Alma to be home. With panic in his voice he said, "Jack, we have to hide the dog, Alma's home!"

Jumping up with concern in his voice Jack said, "Oh shit...will she freak out?"

"She'll be shocked enough seeing a strange man here, I'd rather she not see a dog."

"Are you calling me strange, Ennis?"

"Shit, Jack, if the shoe fits, wear it," Ennis said with a slight smile. "Now get Max into this closet...fast!"

The two of them rushed Max across the room and into the closet. Just then Alma walked in the front door. She leaned over to pull each shoe off, and looked up to see her husband and a stranger standing at the entrance to the family room. A stunned and surprised look came over her face.

Ennis hoped like hell Max stayed quiet, and tried not to look worried. "Alma, this is Jack Twist, you know, John and Denise's son. Jack, my wife Alma."

"Ma'am."

"Hello," Alma said tentatively, a blank look on her face. "Oh yes, of course." A slight smile crossed her face and she seemed more relaxed, but still looked confused as to what he was doing there.

It appeared that Alma was tired, so Ennis quickly suggested that she head upstairs. He told her that Junior was fine, but that he was sure she'd want to look in on her before going to bed.

"I'll just see Jack out and be up soon. You go on ahead."

Alma said goodnight, and Ennis was relieved to see her turn and walk toward the stairs. As soon as she was out of earshot he said, "Shit, Jack, that was almost a disaster."

"Looks like we dodged a bullet. I'd better get outta here. Let me sneak Max out."

"Give Alma time to check Junior in the nursery, and then get into the bedroom so she has less chance of hearing anything."

After Ennis was satisfied that he'd heard their bedroom door close, he gave Jack the o.k. to open the closet. The sight that they were met with nearly made Ennis' heart stop.

"Jack! Oh my God, look what your dog is doing!"

"Shit! Max, what have you done?" Jack said as he covered his eyes with one hand.

"Keep your voice down! Jesus, this must be my lucky day, Alma put her Gucci heels in here!"

"Yeah, and Max thought they were his stay quiet chew toys," Jack said in an excited whisper. He immediately grabbed one of the high heels and pleaded with Max to let go of the other. Wiping them on his jeans he said, "Ennis, I'm so sorry."

In a hushed voice Ennis said, "Sorry doesn't help, Jack, what the hell am I gonna do?"

"Well, let's see how bad they are. Look this one's not so bad; just the heel part is messed up."

"Just the heel, well that's a relief."

"Maybe you can sorta work the teeth marks out of the leather on this other one."

"Oh God." The blood drained from Ennis' face.

Max seemed to know something was wrong, and looked expectantly from Jack to Ennis while whining softly, with his tail still wagging hopefully.

Ennis ran his hands over his face, "I can't believe this."

He looked at Jack and Max, and shook his head as the humor of the situation began to overtake him, and a stifled laugh slipped out. "I'll have to go buy another pair before Alma notices. I hope to hell I can get the same ones."

"Ennis, I'm really sorry," Jack said, trying to stifle a chuckle, the beer  
>buzz starting to get to him.<p>

"It's not your fault," Ennis said, still trying to sound serious but the beer and situation was making it difficult.

"Well there's nothing we can do about it tonight. Guess me and Max better get going," Jack said in a subdued voice.

"Yeah, before Alma hears us. Jesus."

Ennis walked Jack and Max to the door, and hurried them out with Jack still apologizing like crazy, and offering to pay for the shoes. Ennis told him not to worry about it, and quickly said good night.

After the door closed he stood resting his back against it with a shoe in each hand. He took a deep breath and muttered, "Jack Fuckin' Twist," the faintest of smiles forming on his lips.

…

Ennis picked up the beer bottles and snack bowl, and saw to it that everything was locked up for the night. He set the security alarm, and headed up the stairs, hoping to see Alma fast asleep and unaware of any monkey business that had taken place downstairs. He was still worried about being able to replace the shoes before they were noticed, but breathed a sigh of relief when he found her curled on her side, fast asleep.

The adrenaline rush that he felt from his little adventure must have caused him to feel aroused because that's what popped into his mind, surprising him. He hadn't felt much like that lately. Oh well, Alma was asleep so no chance of getting up to anything this night. As he looked at her thin, pale form, thoughts of romance quieted down anyway. She hadn't shown much interest in him in that way either for quite some time.

He had a hard time falling asleep, still wired up, but when he finally did, he was awakened an hour later by Junior's cries. He became aware of Alma's snores filling the bedroom and waited a moment, hoping she would hear their daughter but to no avail. He slowly forced himself out of bed to trudge down the hall to tend to Junior. When he got her quiet and on her way back to sleep, it was nearly 2:30 a.m. He crawled back into bed and listened to Alma, wondering why she stayed out clear till midnight, exhausting herself further when she was always complaining of being so tired. Her snores were irritating him, but for some reason he still had sex on the brain.

After not being able to push the thought out of his mind, he knew there would be no way to get back to sleep without taking matters into his own hand. He pushed his pajama bottoms down and wrapped his hand around his dick. It seemed to instantaneously spring to full erection. He began stroking it slowly, still mystified as to why he was feeling so aroused on that particular night. Maybe the beer he'd consumed had something to do with it. Not wanting to wake Alma, he suppressed the urge to moan and buck his hips as he continued to stroke harder, faster, just a couple more and it would be there. The smell of the ocean filled his senses. Behind his closed eyelids he pictured the color of the water. It was more intensely blue than he could ever remember. The hot liquid erupted onto his hand and onto his stomach. It took everything he had to keep his breathing under control, and not disturb Alma. He spread the liquid around on his stomach and let it dry there. After his heartbeat went back to normal, he used the last of his strength to pull his pajama bottoms up, and was asleep within minutes, despite Alma's snores.

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Considering the night before, Ennis was glad this was Saturday morning as he sat finishing his coffee and Honey Nut Cheerios. He'd gotten up earlier than usual on his day off for several reasons. One, he'd had a short night of sleep and couldn't seem to stay asleep, even when he did drift off. Two, Junior had woken demanding attention and Alma was still sleeping after her night out. And three, he had a mission this morning, the shoe store.

He'd already stashed Alma's shoes in the car so she wouldn't run across them, and to remember which style they were when he got to the store. A small smile crossed his face as he sat deep in thought. Junior was still in her high chair and started to fuss, so he snapped out of his daydream with his attention going 100% to her. She'd been changed, fed, and had on a clean t-shirt. He hoped Alma would be up soon so he could be on his way, anxious to get this errand behind him. After a short time passed, Alma appeared in the kitchen scuffing along in her slippers, looking like she was sleep walking.

"There's coffee in the coffee pot," he offered.

"Good, I could sure use some," she said as she yawned. "By the way, good morning," she added. "I see you've taken care of Junior. Thanks, honey."

"No problem, I love spending time with my little princess," Ennis said as he lifted her out of the high chair, raised her in the air, and gently gave her an airplane ride to the play pen.

"I was sure surprised last night when I came in and saw Jack Twist standing there with you," Alma said as he was making sure Junior had toys to play with.

"Uh, yeah, Jack. Well, he called last night wanting to go out for a beer, so I asked him over here," Ennis said as he walked back into the kitchen.

"I hadn't realized you knew him that well."

"Well, I've been seeing him for a month now, had a couple appointments, and I'll see him for another one soon."

"I think it's great, Ennis. I was just surprised is all," she said as she took another sip of coffee. "I've always thought you needed some friends."

"I have friends," Ennis said, with not much conviction in his voice.

She smiled and said, "Name one."

"How bout Jim?" Ennis said, glad he could at least think of one.

"Someone other than your brother-in-law," she smiled.

"Hey, we were friends before he was my brother-in-law."

"True enough, you were. I just think it's nice you have a friend more your age is all. Jim has always been more like a father to you. You never have gotten too friendly with Brad, or even anyone from work other than Jim. Not enough to go out for a beer with I mean."

"Susan and Brad were your friends before I met you."

"I know, but there's no reason you can't be friends with them too. Just doesn't seem like you and Brad have a lot in common, other than Susan and I are best friends."

About that time Junior started to squeal, so Ennis went over to help get Mickey Mouse back within reach, glad for the distraction, and hopefully the end of this conversation. Unfortunately the next topic Alma started was worse.

"It sure was great being out last night," Alma said, and Ennis had a feeling this was going to escalate into another one of their same old disagreements.

He hoped not, and said, "Glad you had a nice time," and tried to change the subject. Alma wasn't having any of that, rather went on to say, "I sure miss being out with people. Staying here with Junior everyday gets so hard, no adult conversation, no reason to dress up, feeling like I'm in a rut."

"You could dress up, nothing stopping you."

"Dress up when I'm taking care of a baby all day? Changing diapers, making formula, washing clothes!"

"Alma, my sister would be happy to baby-sit whenever you want, you know that. You could get out more if you wanted."

"Your sister lives way out in Bel Air. By the time I gather all Junior's stuff up and drive out there, then have to pick her, and all her stuff up, and drive clear home, it's more trouble than it's worth, besides, we can't impose on Anna all the time, it's just not right. What we need is a nanny, and if we had a nanny, I could get back to work."

"Not this again, Alma. Tell me we're not having this conversation again."

"We need to have it again. I'm not happy like this, and I want us to do something about it!"

"I've already told you, I don't want a stranger raising our little girl. She's only nine months old." The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Ennis volunteered, "Maybe Anna could come out here sometimes and sit with Junior."

Alma, nearly screaming, said, "I told you, it's not fair to impose on your sister! And that won't solve the problem; I want to go back to work!"

This outburst started Junior crying at the top of her lungs. "See what you've done, are you satisfied now?" Ennis said, trying hard to control his tone. He walked over to pick Junior up. He tried to relax and put a lid on his temper in order to quiet his baby down. Soon she stopped crying, and was happy again lying in her play pen, looking tired, ready for a nap.

By then Alma had stomped up the stairs, so Ennis walked up a few steps and called out, "I'm going out, Alma! I'm leaving Junior in the play pen." When he heard no response he called, "Alma! Alma!" Finally she opened the bedroom door and acknowledged that she'd heard him, so he felt he could then be on his way.

…

April turned into May. Thursday found Ennis at the Medical Center checking on a patient. As he dropped off the chart at the nurse's station, someone called out his name. Turning toward the familiar voice he saw his brother coming down the hall with a smile on his face.

"Little brother, fancy meeting you here!"

"Hey, Keith."

Ennis tried his best to sound happy to see him as they hugged and slapped each other on the back. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Keith, but his brother had a way of grating on his nerves, and he was never sure what to expect. More often than not, Ennis was left stressed out after spending time with Keith. As kids they were close but the older they had gotten the more Keith had tried to run his younger brother's life. Keith had a way of making Ennis feel he was owed something for having helped raise him, and put him through medical school. Ennis knew he shouldn't, but felt guilty when he ignored Keith's advice.

"What brings you here, you workin'?" Ennis asked, having noticed he was in uniform.

"Aren't I always," Keith said with a tired voice. He looked older than his 37 years. He was the same weight as Ennis and a couple inches taller, with hair a few shades darker, the same curls, and dark eyes.

"I just came by to check on a fella who got hit by a car in the crosswalk in front of his shop. Know him pretty good, well, enough to say good morning and whatnot. Had his shop on my beat as long as I've been there. This morning he was on his way back to work after buying a newspaper, and a car ran him down, hit and run. We caught the son-of-a-bitch," Keith said in a disgusted voice.

"Sorry about your friend, is he gonna be alright?"

"They think so, thank God. Has a broken leg though, among other things...Ennis, can we grab a cup of coffee in the cafeteria and catch up? I'm on my break, and I still got time."

Not knowing how to get out of it gracefully, Ennis said, "Sure, I've got time," and hoped this wouldn't be one of those times when Keith got him all worked up.

Over coffee, the conversation was going along fine until Keith asked about Alma and Junior. Ennis began talking about his little girl, what new things she had done the past weeks, things she'd learned. He mentioned that they were thinking of having a birthday party for her, and of course Uncle Keith would be invited. He hoped by the time he finished with his enthusiastic report, his brother would have forgotten he hadn't mentioned his wife, but no such luck.

"My little niece sounds great. Coming up on a year old, huh? Hard to believe. And how's her pretty mama?"

"Alma's fine...just fine," Ennis said, not wanting to elaborate and get something started.

Keith couldn't let it be, and kept prying. If there was one thing Ennis hated above all others, was someone, anyone, even his brother, or maybe especially his brother, meddling in his business. He'd found out what happened any time he was truthful with Keith. It wasn't pretty.

"Well, last time we talked you said something about her being in low spirits, you know, being stuck at home with the baby. Did that pass? She feeling better?" Keith asked with genuine concern in his voice.

"She's doing o.k. It's hard taking care of a baby 24/7, she's doing her best."

"Well, you help her all you can, don't you, Ennis? I mean, you're the daddy and all; you need to step up, take some of the burden off her. You should get a sitter now and then and take your wife out. Go to dinner, dancing, you know, make sure she knows you still find her attractive and sexy. Women need that, Ennis."

"This coming from a man who's never been married, and isn't even dating right now?" Ennis said more gruffly than he intended.

Keith laughed a little, "You got me there, but just because I've never been married doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about, little brother."

"We're doing alright, you don't have to worry."

"Alright isn't good enough. You gotta keep your wife happy and satisfied; otherwise your marriage could start to suffer. Have you thought any about what we talked about last time?"

Ennis didn't know what Keith was referring to, and was afraid to find out, but when Keith saw the blank look on Ennis' face he said, "Your job, Ennis, your workload. Don't tell me you haven't been thinking about what I said. Remember, I was suggesting you might get a second physician to work with you, to take some of your patients. It would give you more time to spend with your family. Maybe you could even take a vacation once in awhile."

"I'm keeping things as they are. I like the way things are now," Ennis said firmly.

Keith, undeterred, continued, "You shouldn't have dismissed the offer you had last year from the big medical group that was interested in you. You should have thought it over more before you went into your own practice. You wouldn't have had to shoulder all the responsibility of a practice. You wouldn't have been responsible for staff, or have to deal with salespeople, no worries about the equipment, and all that crap. Now that you have a baby, this is even more important. You've surely seen it, with how things are with your wife."

Ennis was tiring of this conversation, and wanted to put a stop to it. "Listen, Keith," Ennis said in a sharp pointed tone, "Why bring this up now? I like my practice and I'm glad I chose this route. Jim didn't have to go to bat for me with Dr. Foster like he did. I'd of been a fool to turn down an established practice, and the terms of the agreement I was offered. I was fortunate to have two people like Jim and Dr. Foster who believed in me. They both felt I could take over the practice and continue Dr. Foster's high level of patient care, and I feel I have. I don't need more time at home, I'm doing fine now. I have plenty of time to help Alma, which I do. It's her problem she isn't happy being a mother who's lucky enough to be able to stay home full time looking after her child. We agreed she'd stay home and take care of the baby. This was decided when she told me she wanted to get pregnant. She made her bed and she can lie in it."

"Ennis, marriage is a two way street, it involves compromise. If you don't watch out, you're going to screw things up with your wife, then where will you be?"

"Maybe happier than I am now." Ennis thoughtlessly blurted out. He regretted immediately letting Keith hear his deepest, darkest feelings concerning his marriage.

"God, Ennis, how can you say that!"

"Keith, let's just end this conversation now."

"No, little brother, we're not going to end it now!"

"This isn't the time or the place. People are looking at us; they might hear what we're saying."

"You should have thought of that before. Ennis, I'm not hearing of you walking out on Alma. In our family, there's no such thing as divorce."

"I never said nothin' about divorce. Besides, if there's no such thing as divorce in our family, why did you insist Alma and I sign a prenuptial agreement?"

"A pre-nup doesn't mean that divorce is okay," Keith said sharply. "It just insures that your life doesn't end up in shambles if, God forbid, there's no other choice and it ends in divorce. Besides, Alma wanted it for herself as much as I wanted it for you. She has her inheritance to think of."

"Calm down, Keith," Ennis said, trying to get the tone of the conversation back on stable ground.

"Damn it, Ennis. You sure know how to give me an ulcer," Keith said with a much lower voice than he had been using.

Ennis continued on in a calmer voice as well, "There's no reason you need to get an ulcer. This is my life; I can take care of my own business and my own family. I don't need you sticking your nose into it. I've told you before. Now please, let's drop this."

Keith looked at his brother with concerned eyes but let it drop and said he'd best be going. "We sure know how to catch up, don't we, little brother," he said, trying to force a laugh.

"Guess so," Ennis said, trying to smile. They shook hands, then Keith gave Ennis a one armed hug, and that was the end of their coffee break.

…

Ennis was left mentally exhausted. The upsetting and heated conversation with Keith in itself was bad enough, but it also brought thoughts of his marriage to the forefront that had further upset him.

As he was sitting in his car thinking on this, his cell phone rang. "What the fuck now?" he thought to himself, looked at the display, and saw Jack's name.

"Jack, what can I do for you?" he said, trying to sound normal but not dong a very good job.

Jack hesitantly said, "Ennis, everything o.k?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Sorry, I just had...never mind...good to hear from you," and it _was_ good to hear a friendly voice at this point.

"It is? I wasn't sure after last week. Uh, I'm almost afraid to ask, did you get the little problem taken care of?"

"The high heels? Yeah, got it all taken care of. Alma never knew anything about it." Ennis smiled, quite pleased with himself.

"Great. I was kinda worried."

"Is that why you called? To find out about the shoes?"

"No, I actually called to see if you wanted to go out for a beer tomorrow night...being Friday...and I think I kinda owe you."

"Yeah, you do owe me, bud," Ennis said trying to sound serious but failing.

"O.k. then, how 'bout if we meet, and I drive us over, say about 8:00? You could park at your office. Would that work?"

"Sure, or I can meet you at the bar."

"Let's drive over together...and, Ennis, wear jeans...you do have jeans, don't you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Ennis said in a cautious tone, wondering what he was getting himself into.

"Good, I wasn't sure. The other night at your house you looked kinda dressed up in those Dockers you were wearing."

"Uh, well, I did have Levi's on before that, but Junior...well, never mind, I'll wear Levi's...but...just where are we goin' anyway?"

"You'll find out." The smile in Jack's voice could be heard through the phone, and with that they hung up.

…

Friday night rolled around and found Ennis parked at his office waiting. He was on time, Jack was late. It wasn't long before he saw the Buckingham Blue Land Rover come barreling up, which was hard to do in L.A. traffic, but Jack somehow managed it.

Ennis got in to see Jack grinning at him, "Nice jeans, Ennis," he said.

"I still don't know where we're going," Ennis said, wondering if this was such a good idea in the first place.

It didn't take long, especially for a Friday night, to arrive at the Saddle Ranch Chop House. Jack cussed at a few bad drivers along the way, but they made it to the parking lot without any mishaps. As they looked for a parking space, a black Ford F-150 almost backed into them. Jack honked his horn, and barely refrained from flipping the man off. Ennis was worried there for a few seconds. The guy at the wheel of the Ford didn't look like the kind of man to make angry.

Ennis was glad when they were parked. The place looked very rustic. He started imagining what it would be like inside, and was surprised at how much he was looking forward to a new experience. Jack kept glancing at him as they walked to the door, gauging Ennis' reaction maybe, and trying to get a rise out of him.

All Ennis said was, "I'm not gonna have to ride a mechanical bull, am I?"

"Only if you want to," was Jack's response, along with a chuckle.

Music surrounded them as they entered the western ranch-style building. Ennis kind of liked what he was hearing, "The Cowboy In Me," by Tim McGraw. _I got a life that most would love to have - but sometimes I still wake up fightin' mad - at where this road I'm heading down might lead - I guess that's just the cowboy in me._

"The many sides of Jack Twist," Ennis observed.

"Guess you could say that."

"An asphalt cowboy, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't suppose there's many cowboys in New York City."

"Only naked ones," Jack laughed. Ennis had a confused look, so Jack explained about the guy who walks around Times Square in his briefs, boots and cowboy hat, playing the guitar. Ennis had a hard time believing anyone would do that. Jack smiled at the shocked look on his face. By now they were at the bar ordering beers. Ennis was taking the place in, and yes, there really was a mechanical bull in the center of the room. He hoped Jack knew that he'd only been kidding about riding it.

"You ever ride horses?" Jack asked.

Ennis hesitated before answering, not quite knowing what to expect, and wondered what he might get himself into. "Been since I was eleven years old," and with a far off look in his eyes he continued, "But I liked it when I did ride. Why are you askin'?"

"My folks have horses; I was just thinking we might take a couple out for a ride someday. Would be kinda fun, don't you think?" Jack's eyes twinkled with excitement like a child.

"Yeah, that just might be fun. You don't think your folks would mind?"

"No, why would they? And dad can't find a bad thing to say about you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you coming out there to ride."

"I might like that. You a good rider?"

"I haven't ridden in quite awhile, but I did when I was in high school."

Changing the subject, Jack suggested that they go out to the patio for awhile. They sat there the better part of an hour, drinking beer, people watching and even roasting smores on the campfire pit. Ennis felt like a kid as he licked the sweet, stickiness of the chocolate and marshmallow off his lips. He hadn't had any of those since he and Keith went camping when he was about twelve years old.

"This is a nice place, Jack," he said, and meant it. He was having a great time and felt very relaxed.

Ennis asked Jack if he'd taken Max to the vet yet. He regretted asking as soon as he did, because Jack's eyes took on a sad look. "Yeah, I had him there Monday. They examined him and did blood tests. Seems he has several problems. Nothing uncommon for his age, but still..."

Ennis sensed Jack would rather not talk about it, so he said he was sorry to hear it, and quickly asked about work. Jack told him he'd had two photo shoots that week, in studio, so he was getting back in the swing. He said both had a chance of becoming magazine layouts.

"Does this mean you may be around for awhile?" Ennis asked.

"Maybe so," was all he got out of him.

Jack asked Ennis if he played pool, and suggested they go inside and play. Ennis was up for a game or two, so that was next on the agenda. As they played, Jack noticed a few pretty ladies looking their direction, so pointed them out to Ennis. They both got some chuckles out of it. Ennis said he was off limits, but for Jack to go get some phone numbers if he wanted. Jack kept his attention focused on the pool table though, and beat Ennis the two games that they played.

"I hope this won't mean you'll never play with me again," Jack laughed, and playfully slapped Ennis on the back as they headed toward the bar for a refill, and to get ready to watch the karaoke, which was about to begin.

Ennis enjoyed watching the different people try their hand at singing. Some weren't bad at all, but the bad ones were truly bad. He laughed, big belly laughs, at the people who couldn't sing. He silently thought how much he'd laughed in the four or five weeks since he'd met Jack. He decided Jack was good for the blood pressure...but on second thought, at times he wasn't, like when he was driving for instance. Ennis smiled wryly at thinking of mad Jack.

A thirty something guy in a big black cowboy hat started to sing a song that caught Ennis' attention. The guy sang it very well. Jack said it was a Tim McGraw song and Ennis thought that he might just have to go buy a cd by this Tim fella. The song was called, "My Next Thirty Years." As they listened and commented on the singer's voice, Ennis took notice of some of the words..._Lord have mercy on my next thirty years_...Ennis thought how true that was, especially if he continued hanging around with Jack Twist. _Cry a little less, laugh a little more - Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear - Figure out just what I'm doing here - In my next thirty years._

As it got later, it came time for the bull riding. Ennis was scared that Jack might want him to give it a try, but he didn't say anything about either of them trying it on for size, which was a relief to Ennis. He sure enjoyed watching all of the other fools try it though, laughing so much his stomach was starting to hurt. Jack laughed so hard his eyes were watering.

As much as Ennis wasn't looking forward to calling it a night, Jack said that the place would be closing in an hour, so they decided to leave. The drive back to Ennis' car didn't take long. Jack parked beside it, and said what a nice car it was. They had a short conversation about cars, and then Ennis said he'd better get on the road, Alma would be wondering what became of him. She probably would have been up at least once so far with Junior.

As he left, Ennis said, "I'll see you for your appointment next week."

As Ennis drove, he was thinking how surprised he was that after more than thirty years, he'd finally found a friend.

As Jack drove, he thought to himself how surprising it was for his dad to finally be right about something.

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

As Memorial Day week-end approached, Denise Twist planned a holiday get-together for her family and a few friends at the Twist estate. It wouldn't be a big crowd, just John's sister Betty, and her husband Harold, Daphne and Bruce Meyers, who had been friends of Denise and John for years, Ennis, Alma and the baby, and of course Jack.

Denise loved planning gatherings, and was good at it, often organizing charity events. She preferred intimate family parties though, with people she cared about most. The weather report looked good so John was going to barbecue on the deck, and she was having the side dishes and appetizers catered. Her forte was decorating, and she had it planned right down to the watermelon table linens and fruit basket centerpieces.

She looked at her note pad one more time as Jack hung up the phone. "Everything alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, looks like it, just a few more details to work out." He went on to ask, "Mom, you're sure about keeping Max while I'm away?"

"Of course, honey, he'll be fine here with your dad and me."

Jack didn't feel 100% comfortable about leaving Max, but what else could he do? He had to take these jobs. If he did well, it could mean a big step forward in his quest to acquire his own studio, and he wanted that more than anything.

"You think you'll be o.k. being away that long, not being able to check in with Dr. Del Mar about your migraines?"

"Well, I really have no choice, so I'll have to be, I guess." Jack stared off into space like he had a million things on his mind, and actually, he did.

…

The day of the party was perfect weather. Jack helped his mother set up the tables and chairs in the backyard so she could start decorating. He tried to avoid his dad as much as possible, then went down to the stables to make sure that the horses would be ready on time. Ennis, Alma and the baby would arrive a little early so Jack and Ennis would have time for a ride. Jack was excited, and hoped Ennis would enjoy it. He had found that he liked showing Ennis new things and watching his reaction.

Jack was dressed in Levi's and a blue v-neck t-shirt. His mother had on a white knee length sleeveless dress with orange poppy print, and white sandals. Jack's dad was wearing tan khaki shorts and a brown and white polo shirt. It looked like everyone was ready for the first guests. The yard looked beautiful with the tables set up near the roses under the big shade trees. Even Max, who was resting under the trees, looked as if he was waiting for the party to begin.

When Jack heard the sound of a car, he hurried out and saw an unfamiliar silver Lexus turn off Round Meadow Road and proceed up the circle drive-way. _Must be Alma's car,_ he thought, because it was definitely Ennis and his family. It came to a stop and they proceeded to get out. Jack took notice of Alma's out-fit. It was a yellow dress with gray trim, and was clear to the ground. It was loose fitting and sleeveless with a high neck. She had a gray shawl in her hand which she quickly put over her shoulders. She also put on the biggest brimmed sun hat he'd ever seen. It was gray with a tan floral pattern. Jack noticed she had on high heels, and the thought flashed through his mind wondering if they were the replacements for the ones Max ruined, but he couldn't quite remember what they had looked like. He wondered why she'd be wearing heels to a backyard barbecue. In fact, he thought her entire out-fit was a little strange, but what did he know about women's fashion anyway.

Jack greeted Alma with a warm smile, "Hi, Mrs. Del Mar, good to see you."

"Call me Alma, please," she smiled and extended her hand.

He took her hand and said, "And please call me Jack."

By then Ennis was standing next to Alma, and with a big smile on his face said, "I wore my Levi's, Jack, is the horseback ride still on?" He had on a cream colored t-shirt with stripes in several shades of blue, and Oakley aviator shades in brown smoke.

Jack matched Ennis' smile and said, "Sure thing."

About that time Alma began unstrapping Junior from the car seat. She was in a rainbow colored sun dress and had a headband in her curly hair. Ennis said he'd finish getting her out, as Denise had come to greet them. Alma and Denise were very friendly toward one another and Denise couldn't wait to see the baby. From what Jack could tell, it appeared his mom was just as fond of the Del Mar's as his dad was.

"Let's go inside, Alma. The boys probably want to get started with their horseback ride," Denise said, and helped carry a large tote bag and diaper bag into the house as Alma carried Junior.

"Be careful, Ennis," Alma called over her shoulder, as she disappeared into the house.

…

At the stable, Ennis felt lighthearted and the smells brought up nostalgic memories buried in the back of his mind. He was impressed with the horses. They were fine looking animals, and he could tell that they were well cared for. They were saddled and all he and Jack had to do was adjust the stirrups, mount up, and be on their way.

"You get the Paint, his name's Tumbleweed. I'll take the Buckskin, his name's Tic Tac," Jack said.

Ennis was surprised how natural it felt getting up into the saddle. He felt tall and powerful. A smile crossed his lips that brought a smile to Jack's face too.

"Let's head over this way. Some pretty trails over here," Jack said.

As Jack took the lead, Ennis thought to himself that he hadn't done Jack justice by calling him an asphalt cowboy because he looked like a natural atop that buckskin horse, and would have made a fine cowboy back in the old west. All he needed was a black cowboy hat like the guy singing karaoke at the chop house.

"Must be nice living out here," Ennis said as they started their ride. He was glad that he'd remembered his baseball cap because the sun was shining down intensely.

"There's good and bad," Jack said, and Ennis figured he might be thinking about his daddy.

"We almost ran into an ostrich on our way to the house," Ennis chuckled.

"Yeah, they can be a nuisance," Jack laughed.

They rode, not speaking much, for about twenty minutes with Ennis taking in the scenery, and breathing the fresh air. They topped a ridge and looked out on a breathtaking view.

"Wow, this is beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it."

They sat still for a minute under some shade trees, and then Jack said, "I never did find out what you were starting to say that first day when we met in your office."

Ennis tried to pretend that he didn't know what Jack was referring to as he said, "What do you mean?"

"When you mentioned my old man it sounded like he'd been talking to you about me."

Ennis wished he could disappear because he really didn't want to get into this. _Me and my big mouth,_ he thought, and said, "It was nothin', Jack."

"Knowing my old man, I'm sure it was something, and knowing how highly he thinks of you..." Jack sat there looking at Ennis with expectation in his eyes.

"Jack, I really don't think it's my place to say..."

Jack cut him off. "Oh I get it, I should have known, since you've known dad a lot longer than you've known me, I should have known whose side you'd be on."

Ennis was taken aback at where the conversation had gone all of a sudden. Looking out at this peaceful view, and then seeing the fire in Jack's eyes, it just didn't seem to mix. Jack, I'm not taking sides."

"Well, it would seem that way to me if you refuse to let me in on anything my old man said to you."

"Calm down, bud. Okay, let me think." He ran his hand over his face before he continued. "He mentioned you a few times when I was out to the house, when we were off by ourselves. I can't think of the specific words now, but there was no mistaking he was angry. Angry maybe for how you left home, didn't call or come back, no keepin' in touch. I wasn't real sure. He did mention your mama, how you hurt her and that pissed him off. I do remember him saying that...but, Jack, behind the words I saw hurt in his eyes. I think he was trying to cover up his hurt with anger."

"Oh, so you're a psychologist now?"

"No, Jack, come on...it's just what I felt, what I saw."

Jack was silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Sorry for putting you on the spot. Shit, we were supposed to be having a nice ride and I spoiled it."

"You didn't spoil nothin'. It's okay. You wanna talk about your daddy, you go right on ahead."

Jack took his baseball cap off, fiddled with it, and put it on backwards. "It's just that he really gets to me. I see him lookin' at me with those disapproving eyes and I feel worthless. I thought maybe after all these years he may have forgiven me, but that was wishful thinking on my part.

"Forgiven you?" Ennis had a serious and concerned look on his face.

Jack spoke in a low voice looking off into the distance, "My parents tried for years to have a kid. Mom had three miscarriages before I came along late in their lives. After me, the doctor said she'd never have any more. I always felt like dad expected things from me, things I just wasn't capable of. There's no doubt in my mind I'm a disappointment to him."

Jack sounded lost as he went on. "I could never please the man, and the last straw was when I dropped out of school during pre-med."

This caused Ennis to raise his eyebrows. It was the first he'd heard of that, and he had to let that sink in for a moment.

Jack went on, "I knew I couldn't be a doctor. It just wasn't something I had in me. I tried, it was what my folks wanted, but it just wasn't going to happen, and I had to quit." Jack shook his head and continued in an even softer voice. "One night I was in a club and a man fell on the floor having some kinda attack. Everyone was panicking. His heart stopped, Ennis. I gave him CPR till the paramedics came, they took over and tried to get him to come around too, but he was too far gone from a massive heart attack. He never had a chance, even if he'd of been right at the door of the hospital when it happened, he just never had a chance, and I knew then and there I could not be a doctor. Right after that is when I dropped out, and my dad blew a gasket and I left."

"Damn, Jack, I had no idea you ever planned to be a doctor. Which school?"

"My dad's school, USC, you?"

"Cross town, UCLA."

"I'm surprised you didn't know. Looks like I disappointed my dad even more than I knew if he can't even bring himself to mention it." Jack looked even more down than ever. "And my choice of careers sure didn't help any, I tell you. He has no interest or respect in what I do now."

"You sure about that? I mean, how do you know?" Ennis tried to sound encouraging, but he wondered if what Jack said might be true.

"I had always been interested in photography, took some courses, and did it as a hobby since high school. When we had our final blow up, before I left, I remember him yelling about what was I planning to do to make a living, take pictures? Said I'd starve to death and not to come crawling back for help."

"But, Jack, you've proven him wrong, you're successful as a photographer."

"Yeah, I'm on my way, still some things I wanna make happen. At least I never starved to death." There was no humor in his voice, and a look came over his face that made Ennis feel he was holding something back. He hoped he'd continue.

After a few silent moments Jack said, "Me and Mom kept in touch all the years I was gone. She even sent me money when I was desperate."

Ennis was surprised to say the least, as he thought that over.

"Ennis, if you don't mind, I think I might wanna change the subject."

"Sure, I understand," Ennis said, still running all that had come out around in his mind.

"Just let me say one thing if I can?" Ennis was unsure if he should continue, and he felt like each word was an effort, but he needed to say it. "I lost both my folks when I was eleven. I'd give just about anything ta have 'em back." That was all he could muster, so he looked out in the distance and hoped he hadn't overstepped any boundaries by speaking those words.

He was glad Jack seemed to accept what he said with no anger even though he wasn't sure if what he'd said did any good. Jack said, "I hear you, Ennis. That musta been rough for an eleven year old kid. I'm sorry."

After that, they headed back, both in need of a drink and a change of mood.

…

The party was underway with all of the guests having arrived by the time Jack and Ennis found their way into the backyard. Alma caught Ennis' eye and he excused himself and went over to where she and Junior were sitting next to Daphne Meyers. The Del Mar's had met the Meyers at a previous event, and also Jack's aunt and uncle; besides the fact Ennis was their physician, so no introductions were needed.

Jack wasn't sure what kind of reception he would get from his folk's friends, and was never close to his dad's sister, so wasn't especially looking forward to seeing these people for the first time in so long. He glanced around to make sure that Max was o.k., and saw him lying on the deck like he was enjoying all of the action. John had the barbecuing well on its way to completion and food was set out on a table underneath a canopy in the middle of the yard. Music was playing through the outdoor speakers.

Jack wanted a beer, and walked over to where Ennis sat and asked if he wanted one. He also asked Alma if she'd like something, and turned to retrieve the drinks. By this time Daphne had joined her husband across the yard talking with Denise. Jack dropped off Ennis' beer and Alma's lemonade, and excused himself in order to say hello to someone who he knew would have a kind word for him, his Uncle Harold.

When Harold saw Jack, he pulled him close and slapped him on the back saying, "Jack! It's been a long time, how are you doing?" He looked genuinely happy to see Jack, and the feeling was mutual. Jack was always amazed at how much better he got along with Harold than with his own aunt, but she had an attitude toward Jack, and seemed to always blame him for all of her brother's problems in life. She reminded Jack of a mother hen the way she acted toward John, who was her younger brother by a few years.

"Hey, Uncle Harold, I've missed you," Jack said giving him a warm smile.

"Is that so? Well, I could have stood a phone call now and then if that's how you felt," he said good-naturedly with a chuckle.

"Sorry about that," Jack said, and knew Harold was only joking. Harold was a large man, jolly and laid back, who usually had a big smile for everyone, especially Jack.

Interrupting the light conversation, Aunt Betty joined her husband, making one of her snide remarks directed at Jack, "Nice we could all get together after so long apart." She wasn't smiling when she said it and Jack felt her eyes boring a hole into him. Jack always thought of Betty Boop when he saw his aunt. Her hair was dyed darker than needed, which made her face look too white. She was a small woman who looked every bit her age, even though she thought of herself as youthful. Her air of superiority was overpowering, at least whenever she spoke to Jack.

"Nice to see you, Aunt Betty," Jack forced out.

"I'm glad you finally saw fit to show your face back home, Jack. All these years worrying your parents to death. Nearly put your daddy in an early grave." She scolded Jack as if he were a ten year old.

"An early grave?" Jack said questionably. He had no idea what she meant.

"His health has suffered greatly over the years! Don't tell me you're so out of touch you don't even know, or maybe you just don't care!"

"Know what?" Jack asked.

Just then Harold tried to step between them and change the subject, but Betty continued in her condescending tone. "Your poor father suffers from a bleeding ulcer, among many other problems brought on by stress."

"Betty, John has a very stressful job." Harold tried to channel the blame to something other than Jack, but Betty was having none of it. After a few more seconds of her unpleasantness, Harold ushered her to the drink table, and Jack couldn't have been more grateful. He glanced around to see if anyone had been watching because he knew that from their body language people would probably be able to tell that the conversation hadn't been pleasant. He noticed Ennis watching from his seat at the picnic table with a look of concern on his face.

Jack decided to get it all over with at once, so sought out the Meyers who were standing near the deck eating baked mozzarella bites. He tried his best to sound pleasant as he greeted the couple who were his parent's age, and made a striking pair. They were both tall, and resembled one another, making Jack think that living with someone for years maybe did tend to make a couple look alike. In their case at least, it seemed to be true.

"Hi, Daphne and Bruce, good to see you." To his relief they both smiled, and even if they didn't totally mean it, they made him feel like they were glad to see him.

After some small talk Bruce said, "I saw the article in People magazine awhile back about up and coming young-guns in different professions. It said you were right on the verge of skyrocketing to the top as a photographer. 'People' indicated that if you hadn't been in the layout, you'd have been shooting it. The piece was quite impressive."

"Thanks, Bruce, but I've got a ways to go. I still have to complete a few high profile jobs and get a studio of my own before I get to that point."

"I know for a fact that your dad would loan you the money for a studio if you just asked."

"That's all well and good, but I'd rather do it on my own."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack noticed his dad had been within earshot during the conversation. He almost thought John was going to add something to what Bruce had said, but instead he called out for all to hear, "The food's ready, we can eat!"

At least the food was good and everyone seemed to enjoy it. John had cooked steak, chicken and corn on the cob. There were baked potatoes, macaroni and Oriental salads, deviled eggs, a veggie platter, chips and dip. For dessert there were cream cheese dipped strawberries covered in red, white and blue sprinkles, and an orange-glazed pecan cake.

Jack sat with Ennis, Alma and Junior during the meal. He got a kick out of watching Ennis interact with his little girl. He could tell that he was an excellent father, and that he loved his baby wholeheartedly. Jack felt that he shouldn't be thinking this, but wondered what Ennis saw in Alma. He just couldn't get past the out-fit she had on. He couldn't quite recall what she'd been wearing that first night he'd met her, which didn't surprise him after the scare with Max, and the beers he and Ennis had consumed. He figured that it must have been more sensible than what he was seeing now, or it would have made a lasting impression. Alma was nice enough though from what he could tell, and he liked her. He was just surprised that Ennis would choose her type to settle down with. She seemed very clingy too, which would annoy him, but evidently didn't bother Ennis. One thing was for sure; the two of them had an adorable baby.

When they had finished eating, Ennis got up to call Max over and said that he wanted to show Junior a dog. Right away Alma got jittery and said that Junior had never seen a dog and it would probably scare her, but Ennis said that it would be good for her to see a dog, that Max was friendly so not to worry. Jack wasn't certain, but he thought that he saw wrinkles appear on Alma's forehead, but with that hat on he couldn't be sure. He did see her wrinkle up her nose just the slightest bit when Max came near and started to put his nose up toward Junior.

"Ennis, be careful!" she said, not able to hide her displeasure with the situation.

Junior squealed with excitement and Ennis laughed. Max wiggled from head to toe. Jack couldn't keep the smile off of his face from the happy sight of Max, Ennis and Junior enjoying themselves, and the fact that Alma was not happy. He didn't know why that would amuse him so, but it did.

"Ennis, that's enough now, she's seen the dog long enough," Alma said. Turning to Jack she said, "We're not used to having animals around, I hope you understand."

Jack and Ennis met eyes and nearly burst out laughing, Jack thinking of the night that Max was right in the family room, and then in the closet munching on Alma's heels. He wondered if Ennis was thinking the same thing, and the look on his face seemed to confirm it. _What she doesn't know won't hurt us,_ Jack thought.

Without missing a beat, Alma went on, "I wasn't even sure about Ennis going riding today, it scared me."

After awhile Ennis and family were ready to leave, and Jack walked them out to their car, telling them that he was glad that they came. Alma told Jack that they were planning Junior's birthday party for the summer and that he was invited.

"I'd love to come if I'm in town." Ennis gave Jack a slightly concerned look, and as Alma was putting Junior into the car seat he and Jack had a chance for a few words.

"You planning to go someplace?"

"Oh yeah, I didn't get a chance to tell you. I have some big photo shoots coming up. Looks like I'll be gone a couple of months. First I go to Mexico, and then to New York. If this goes well, I just might be able to get my own studio."

Ennis looked happy for Jack and said, "Oh, a trip, I was thinking you meant you were leaving for good. When do you leave?"

"No more than a week. I'll still be able to make my appointment next week, but then it looks like it will be awhile."

"Well, you've been doing better with the combination of medications we have you on now, so hopefully that will hold you."

"Yeah, I hope so."

With that, Ennis and Alma got into the car. Ennis said thanks again for the horseback ride, and told Jack he hoped that he wouldn't run in to any naked cowboys while back in New York. Both of them had a good laugh, leaving Alma out of the joke.

_To Be Continued..._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The summer was flying by with nothing much of interest happening in Ennis' world except making a living and taking care of his wife and daughter. He missed laughing. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd really laughed, but guessed it was before Jack left. Alma's disposition hadn't gotten any better. In fact, it had gotten so bad he was feeling forced into agreeing to changes he didn't want. He could only hope that it would make things better because his marriage sure wasn't the way he would have liked it to be.

It was another hot, sunny day heading home from work in his BMW with the air conditioner on full blast. He stopped to pick up the dry cleaning just before they closed, and then a few groceries to save Alma the trouble since he was out anyway. With groceries on his mind, Ennis' thoughts turned toward the menu for Junior's birthday party. He'd have to make a list soon, only ten days away.

As Ennis walked into the house balancing dry cleaning, groceries, and briefcase, he called out for Alma but got no response. Her car was in the garage, so maybe she and Junior were napping. If she was asleep, at least that meant that they wouldn't be arguing. She'd been saying it was too hot to make dinner lately, and since he didn't smell anything cooking, he guessed that was why. _But in an air-conditioned house, how can you tell it's hot outside?_

He set his stuff down and glanced at the table where the day's mail was placed. Right on top was a picture post card that caught his eye. He thought, "What the hell?" It was a picture of a long haired blond man wearing a cowboy hat that said the words "Naked Cowboy" in red. The only other clothes that he was wearing were cowboy boots and briefs...oh and a guitar. He flipped it over and read:

_Hey Ennis, Very successful trip. Sorry not to have been in touch. Be back July 24th. I'll call you. Jack_

Ennis read the post card over twice, a slight smile on his lips.

…

The week of Junior's birthday Ennis was diligently working at his office desk when his cell phone rang. Seeing Jack's name in the display, he answered with an enthusiastic, "Jack, you're back."

"Hey, Ennis, how've you been?" Jack's voice sounded happy and energized.

"Fine, but how are you? How has your summer gone?"

"You got my postcard, didn't you?"

"Oh, yeah...sure did, thanks...I think. You said work had gone well. Was glad to hear it."

"Yeah, it went better than I even hoped. Looks like I can start scouting out places to locate my studio."

Ennis could hear the excitement in Jack's voice and that excitement rubbed off on him. "That's great news. You'll have to tell me all about your time away."

It nearly slipped his mind to invite Jack to Junior's birthday party, but he remembered and said, "Junior's birthday is this coming Saturday, the 30th, we're having a little party, just a few people, my sister and brother and a few others. We'd love for you to come. We'll be having lunch and a cake. We can catch up with what's been happening then."

After Ennis asked Jack how his headaches had been and they talked a minute or two longer, the conversation ended by Ennis telling Jack what time to be at his house on Saturday.

…

On the day of the party, Alma's best friend, Susan, came early to help decorate the dining room. Susan was a couple of years younger than Alma, with naturally curly, blonde, shoulder length hair and green eyes. Her husband, Brad, was a little younger than Susan, and had dark hair and eyes.

"Happy 1st" balloons in pink hues, and fresh pink and white roses had been delivered early that morning, and were already in place. Alma and Susan worked to get the tinsel garland and the "One Is Fun" banner displayed. Then they began getting the table ready for the delicious lunch that Ennis was preparing.

"You're so lucky to be married to a man who can cook." Susan was always reminding Alma how lucky she was in that regard.

"Yes, I know, and he says it actually relaxes him. I can cook simple basic meals, but when it comes to anything fancy for entertaining, I leave that to Ennis...or a caterer!"

Both of them laughed. "Did you order the cake from the bakery?"

"Yes, we got it at 'Mary's Delicacies.' It's just adorable."

They set the table with adults in mind, using Alma's china and crystal. "Soon Junior will need to start making friends," Alma mused. "Any chance my best friend is going to help that happen?" Alma asked, looking at Susan with a hopeful little smile.

"Not anytime soon. I need to keep working right now. The time just isn't right."

Alma tried to hide her disappointment and warned with a serious look on her face, "If you wait for the perfect time, you'll never have any."

With a bit of irritation in her voice, Susan said, "Brad and I can't afford for me to be off work for an extended time, Alma, even if it was just for maternity leave. You're lucky that way, you can stay home indefinitely if you want to."

"Who says I want to?" Alma said, with a sly smile on her face.

Shortly after, Susan left to go home and change, and would come back later with Brad.

…

Wonderful aromas were coming from the kitchen. Ennis had been hard at work preparing the meal. He was always animated as he cooked. On this day even more so, and he was even humming. His little girl's first birthday didn't happen everyday. There had been less stress between he and Alma lately, making him feel better. It seemed to make him able to cope with the fact that Keith would be there. He was looking forward to seeing Jack, and was surprised when he found himself wanting to see him even more than Jim and Anna. He had a feeling it was going to be a great day. It already had been, the meal was coming along great, the dining room looked festive and friends and family were on their way.

Keith was the first to arrive. Alma greeted him at the front door. He kissed her cheek and gave her a hug, and handed a brightly wrapped gift to her for his niece. He had a proud look on his face saying he'd picked it out himself. Ennis heard the door so peeked into the living room and called out, "Hi, Keith, I'll be out in a minute with a drink. Alma will get you something to eat, Junior's in her swing in the family room, go say hello."

Keith and Alma played with Junior for awhile, then Keith got her out of the swing to hold her. Ennis was on his way into the family room with Keith's drink when he overheard him ask Alma who was coming to the party. Ennis found himself eavesdropping as he saw Keith's eyebrows shoot up when Alma mentioned that Ennis had a friend coming to join them, Jack Twist, the councilman's son. Keith said he'd wait till more of the guests arrived before he had a drink, then made a joke saying that he wanted to be sober when he met Ennis' friend. Alma laughed and hit him on the arm saying that she knew it was a surprise that Ennis finally had a friend, but for Keith not to make a big deal out of it and embarrass him. Keith smiled, but Ennis couldn't help but notice it wasn't a happy smile.

Ennis had just handed Keith a drink when the door bell rang, signaling Anna and Jim's arrival. "I'll get it," Ennis called out to Alma, who had taken Junior upstairs. He hurried to answer the door, swinging it open to his big sister who was reaching out to hug and kiss him, and Jim next to her holding a pretty package done up in big pink bows.

"You look like you're going to a party," Ennis said to Jim.

"I am," he said with a big smile, also hugging Ennis after Anna was through.

"Well, you've come to the right place." Ennis said, with affection in his voice. "Come in, Keith is already here. Go say hi to him. Let me take that package off your hands. Alma and Junior will be down in a minute. Be right back with some drinks, get some appetizers from the tray in the family room."

Anna and Jim greeted Keith with warm hugs. Anna always beamed with pride whenever she was with her brothers. She was a thin woman with short auburn hair. She'd had a difficult life and it showed on her face, but she had a softness about her, and genuine love for people and life which came through. She and Jim made a perfect couple, complimenting each other. He was shorter than Ennis and Keith, with a stocky build and graying hair. He was serious-minded and his eyes were kind.

As Ennis entered the family room with drinks, he was aware that the three of them had ended their conversation abruptly. He gave them all a questioning look and waited a couple seconds, then said, "Should my ears be burning?"

"Little brother, do you think the world revolves around you? You actually think we were talking about you?" Keith tried to keep a straight face and so did Anna and Jim, but they all broke into smiles and came clean, telling Ennis that they were just so surprised about the fact that he had a friend coming to the party, that yes, they were talking about it out of curiosity.

"I don't know why everyone is so surprised I've made a friend." Before Ennis could say more, the door bell rang again, and he went to let Connie and Rob in. He ushered them into the family room saying, "All of you remember my right arm, I mean my office manager, Connie, and her husband, Rob?" They said of course they did, and greeted them warmly, and they all began talking and laughing while Ennis went to get more drinks.

Finally Alma and Junior joined them, and everyone wanted to see the guest of honor. They took turns holding her, standing her up to see if she'd try to walk, and asking if she wanted her birthday gifts. She was acquiring quite a collection.

"We'd better save those for later," Alma said. "We'll eat first and open gifts afterward."

"Speaking of eating, the food sure smells good. That must be some of Ennis' famous pasta I smell," Jim said with a big smile, his eyes lighting up.

As the group continued eating from the appetizer tray and having their drinks, Ennis stepped into the living room wondering who would arrive next: Jack, or Susan and Brad. He didn't have to wonder long because the door bell rang. He opened it, and at first was a bit taken aback, but recovered quickly and took a step toward Jack and pulled him into a big hug saying, "Good to see you, Jack." Jack hugged him back, and suddenly Ennis felt a little lightheaded and like he was having heart palpitations. He figured the birthday was getting to him even more than he thought, or that he was hungry. Strangely enough, his dick was even reacting to the hug.

They stayed that way a few long seconds then Ennis stepped away, felt normal again, and said, "What's with the stubble?" and gave Jack an amused smile.

Jack simply said, "Just trying to get my old man's goat," and flashed Ennis a mischievous smile.

All Ennis said was, "Jaaaaack..." but he did get a kick out of thinking of John and what he might have said to Jack about not shaving. He shook his head and chuckled.

"What have you got there?" Ennis asked, looking down by Jack's feet at a large gift bag with shaggy dog print.

"A birthday present, what do you think? I'm going to a birthday party, aren't I? Jack grinned.

"That you are, but you didn't have to bring a present."

"What kind of party is it without presents, Ennis?"

"You've got a point there. Bring it in...come on in, you need to meet some people." Just then Ennis stopped and said, "You don't have Max in the SUV, do you?"

"Why, are you inviting him in?" They both started laughing to the point of not being able to stop. When they'd look at each other they'd start up again. Ennis didn't know what his family was thinking when they peered out of the family room to see what the commotion was. Ennis tried to pull himself together and make introductions, and barely got his words out without losing it. Jack was just as bad, trying not to break up as he shook hands and said hello. God only knows what everyone thought.

About that time, the door bell rang again and the last guests had arrived. Alma went to greet Susan and Brad. After everyone visited and got acquainted better, it was time for lunch to be served.

Everyone took their seats around the table. Alma helped Ennis bring in the food. The meal consisted of lasagna, green salad with oil & vinegar dressing, breaded egg plant, garlic bread, Italian cheeses & fresh fruit, and wine. The birthday girl sat in her high chair wearing a bib with "1st Birthday" embroidered on the front. She wore a fancy lavender frilly dress and a lavender bow in her curls. She was feeding herself for the most part, dining on her own little plate of finger foods - cooked broccoli florets, cooked carrots and cheese cubes.

Conversation during lunch flowed freely. When Jack found out that it was Ennis who had prepared all of the food, he looked surprised and complimented him several times. Ennis caught some of what Keith was saying to Jack. He wished he had warned him about his brother, and hoped Jack wouldn't hold it against Keith. At first he was asking Jack about his job which was reasonable, but Keith started asking things like how had he meet Ennis, and then more personal questions like had he and his brother been out drinking together, was Jack dating... _Where was that coming from?_ He could have stuffed a piece of garlic bread in Keith's mouth. _What was the man thinking, interrogating Jack like a cop? _ Well, he was a cop, but this was totally out of line.

Toward the end of the meal Alma said that she had an exciting announcement, so everyone quieted down and waited for her news. "I'm going back to work!" she said, not able to contain her happiness. She went on to say that since Junior was a year old, she and Ennis felt that it was time for her to be getting back to her life as it was before. The following week she would be interviewing nannies to care for Junior three days a week, and Anna would be there twice a week. Alma was beaming and everyone said they were happy for her.

Keith caught Ennis' eye and gave him the thumb's up, happy no doubt that Ennis had taken his advice to compromise with his wife.

When the meal was over, Anna and Alma cleared the dishes and Ennis brought a pot of coffee to the table, and prepared to serve Junior's cake. He noticed that Jack had disappeared. The thought went through his mind that he got pissed off by Keith's nosiness and took off, and that made Ennis' stomach drop, but he soon saw him reappear with his camera. Jim also had a camera.

Alma said, "Jack offered to get pictures of Junior, isn't that great, Ennis?"

Ennis was touched and didn't know what to say. "Jack, I didn't invite you here to put you to work."

Jack gave him a warm smile and said, "Go get the cake, Ennis."

The Chiffon cake had been baked in the shape of the number one. It was frosted in pink and white butter cream icing. The top edge was done in rose drop flowers accented with green leaves. Down the center of the cake "Junior" was printed in pink, with white dots finishing off the decoration. A One candle was placed on the top. Ennis lit it and everyone sang Happy Birthday, then everyone clapped and helped the birthday girl blow out her candle. Junior clapped and squealed in delight.

Junior enjoyed her cake, with most of it ending up squished between her fingers and on the high-chair tray, and Alma having to wipe her clean. At least none got on her dress, thank goodness for the bib.

After the dessert was cleared away, Connie and Susan helped Alma bring the many gifts to the table, and Alma and Ennis helped Junior open them.

From Ennis and Alma was a plush rocking horse which delighted Junior, especially when Ennis showed her how to pull its ears to make it whinny. Ennis said it had been his idea to get it for Junior, and had finally gotten Alma to agree. Alma added that she would have chosen the Princess Pink horse, but that Ennis wanted the Buckskin. Everyone said that it was a great present. Junior was trying to pat its head and Ennis said, "Are you getting pictures of that, Jack?"

Next they opened the gift from Jim and Anna; a beautiful First Birthday photo album personalized with her name and date.

"She'll have lots of pictures to put in here," Jim said, and took some shots as he looked on.

From Connie and Rob was a "My first birthday" musical doll. Jack got some great close-ups of Junior and the doll.

In Susan and Rob's box were wood peg puzzles. Alma was happy with that saying Junior could learn from their present.

Keith handed them the gift from him next. He smiled as it was opened. There were two items in the box. The first was a blue t-shirt that said "I'm One," and next, a blue baseball cap that said "Fun to be One."

"I hope they fit," he said. Ennis removed her bow and placed the cap on her head with Jack getting a great close up. It fit great, and Alma said the t-shirt would fit too.

Last but not least was the gift in the doggie print bag. Jack looked on with a smile and twinkling eyes. Ennis reached in and pulled out a stuffed dog that resembled Max. The biggest smile filled up his face, and Junior went crazy as she reached for it. Ennis glanced at Alma and noticed that she wasn't overly excited and found it rather humorous that she seemed annoyed. He thought the gift was perfect and that Jack had done an excellent job of choosing it.

Jack brought his camera up to focus. Alma was out of range and Jack didn't bother asking her to scoot closer and got a great picture of Ennis, the stuffed Max dog and Junior.

Many thank-yous were said as the guests left the table. Keith asked Ennis to show him something out in the backyard, so they went out while the others broke up into groups with Anna and Alma cleaning up the table once again.

Out in the yard Keith started in on Ennis. _Not again, _Ennis thought. He asked how many times he'd been out with Jack, what kinds of things they had done, questions Ennis found strange, even coming from his brother.

Ennis said, "I thought you always said I should have friends."

"Couples, Ennis, husband and wife couples, to be friends with you and your wife, not a buddy who's single, taking you away from your wife and baby!"

"Alma doesn't mind, she goes out with her girlfriends."

"That's not the way it should be. You two need to do things together, not separately. You're asking for trouble, little brother."

"Keith, you're overreacting. You have nothing to worry about. Stop trying to tell me how to run my marriage."

"I'm just warning you of what could happen if you keep this up."

"I appreciate your concern, but really, you don't need to be. Now let's drop it, huh?"

"Ennis..."

Ennis cut him off and told him in no uncertain terms that the conversation was over, and then stormed off into the house to join the others.

He was just in time to help Alma see Susan and Brad out, and as they left, Connie and Rob said they had to be going too. A short while later Anna and Jim decided they'd better get going.

Before leaving, Anna asked Ennis where he wanted to go for lunch in August. Ennis and Anna had been having lunch together once a month for as long as Ennis could remember, just the two of them. He told her to make the choice and to give him a call sometime before the date.

When they had gone, Ennis pulled Jack aside and they went into the family room to sit and catch up. After hearing about Jack's trip, Ennis asked about Max. Jack looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, saying he'd noticed a big change when he got back from his trip. Max had gone down hill. He ran his hand through his hair and said it was hard to talk about. He said even if it wasn't so hot, he wouldn't have brought Max in the SUV because he seemed weak and he thought it best to let him stay at home.

Keith and Alma were in the living room, and Ennis noticed out of the corner of his eye that it looked like Keith was staring at him and Jack. The concerned look in his eyes made Ennis uncomfortable. He was glad when Alma and Keith took Junior up the stairs.

Soon after the conversation about Max, Jack said he'd better head out and wanted to say good-bye to Alma and Keith. Ennis called out a few times and both appeared at the top of the stairs and came down to help see Jack out.

After Jack drove off, Keith said he had to go too. "It was a great party, you two."

"Glad you could make it," Ennis said, still annoyed, but trying not to show it.

Keith gave Ennis a hug, and Ennis told him to take care, then Keith hugged Alma and kissed her cheek, saying in a low voice for her ears only, "Think about what I told you."

She gave him a slight nod, and he was on his way.

…

That night when Ennis went into the bedroom he expected to see Alma sleeping. She wasn't in bed yet, but was in the bathroom instead. As he unbuttoned his shirt, the bathroom door opened and the scent of perfume filled the room. When Alma stepped out he couldn't keep the stunned look off of his face. Seeing Alma like that was the last thing he expected.

"Ennis, did I surprise you? I hope it's in a good way," she said in a seductive voice.

"What...what are you wearing there?" Ennis asked, the shock evident in his voice, as well as on his face.

"Do you like it?" she asked, giving him a flirtatious little smile.

"Where did you get something like that?" he asked, wondering if he really cared or was stalling for time.

"I found a new little boutique with all kinds of lovely things. This is something I picked out a couple of weeks ago that I thought you might like. I've been saving it for just the right time. You like it, don't you?" she asked, as she came closer to help finish unbuttoning his shirt.

"It's cute, Alma," he said, with not much conviction in his voice.

"Cute? I was going for something a little bit more than cute," she said, running her hands down his chest.

"What do you call this...ah...thing you got on anyway?" Ennis asked, his voice hesitating.

"It's called lingerie, Ennis...you do know what lingerie is, I hope." She giggled and went on, "The girl in the shop who helped me pick it out called it a tuxedo baby doll."

"Don't look much like a tuxedo to me."

It was actually one of the strangest things he'd ever seen his wife in, and couldn't imagine why she'd picked it out. It was ivory colored, low and tight on top, with thin black straps, which was okay, except the big black bow it had on the bust looked out of place, but he guessed that's what was supposed to make it look like a tuxedo. The bottom part was short, revealing, and it puffed out, putting him in mind of some sort of ballerina dress. He could see some black panties peeking out from underneath. Completing the out-fit were 5" black heels.

Ennis tried to smile and said, "You gonna wear the heels in bed?"

"I could if you want me to," she said, smiling.

"That might be dangerous," he said.

She seemed to take that as her signal to start taking them off. After she accomplished this, she looked at Ennis and asked why he wasn't getting undressed. He cleared his throat and felt cornered, so went ahead and took his shirt off. She proceeded to start undoing his pants and they got onto the bed, her on top of him.

He felt bad for Alma, going to all this trouble buying a new out-fit and all, when it wasn't doing any more for him than if she'd been wearing her normal nightshirt, but he tried to pretend he appreciated her effort and hadn't forgotten what to do. He ran his hands down her back and up under her skirt, or whatever the hell it was, and cupped her butt in his big hands, discovering it was a thong she had on. Well, maybe the bottom part of the out-fit wasn't that bad after all.

When it was over, Ennis laid there staring up at the ceiling. His heart beat was normal already, and he felt like something had been missing, but he didn't have an answer as to what it was. Alma gave him a couple of kisses, then went into the bathroom. He rolled over and pretended to be asleep so when she came back he wouldn't have to talk.

Later, as Ennis lay dreaming, he saw a woman in a short nightie coming to him as he lay on a bed. She was blurry and he couldn't make out her face, but thought it was Alma. He saw a black bow hovering over his face, and smelled perfume. It seemed the bow was getting bigger and bigger, like it was going to smother him. If it didn't, then surely the perfume would, because it was continuing to smell stronger and stronger till he nearly couldn't breathe. He was relieved when the sickening sweet smell changed to a woody citrus and spice scent. All of a sudden he was standing on a sandy beach hearing the waves and sea gulls, and smelling the surf. The sky and water were a brilliant blue. He was wearing a tuxedo, and a man was standing beside him wearing one too. The face was blurry, except the eyes. It must have been Jack, because only his eyes could match the blue of the water and sky. He looked down and they were holding hands. He woke with a start, and could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, making him feel exhilarated, thinking what a strange dream, but only vaguely recalling the details.

_To Be Continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was a sweltering August day, and Jack had a migraine, just what he didn't need, especially right now. Max was failing and needed extra care and Jack had to be there for him. The dog could barely get up to go outside, and couldn't stay outside in the heat, so someone had to help him go in and out. All Jack wanted to do during his worst migraines was stay in bed with the blinds pulled, but it just wasn't an option right now. He was using the couch as a bed, but didn't feel very comfortable parked there. His parents hadn't complained though, not even his dad.

Jack was still looking for the perfect studio so was anxious to go on some more leads, but that had to be put on hold until he felt better. He'd looked at a few places already, and one day Ennis had gone with him, which he had been grateful for. He always had a good time with Ennis, and since like himself, Ennis had grown up in the Los Angeles area, they knew their way around. Things had changed a little during the ten years Jack had been gone, but between the two of them, getting lost wasn't a problem.

Jack's thoughts came back to Max. He knew it wouldn't be long until a decision would have to be made about his dog. He couldn't think straight with a headache and not sleeping well.

He got Max outside to the bathroom again, and brought him back inside to rest by the couch in a cardboard box with plenty of old blankets in case of an accident, then flopped down on the couch to try and rest.

Something was nagging at Jack but he couldn't put his finger on it. He tried to tell himself it was Max, and the worry and sadness he felt about what was coming, but it seemed to be something more. He just wasn't content. Maybe it was because he hadn't had time to start looking for a place to move. Living under the same roof as his dad was enough to drive him crazy. Having been away working those couple of months had set him behind on getting around to looking for a place. Now he knew when he moved out, that it would be alone, Max wouldn't be with him. That was depressing. He felt plain rotten, and all that he wanted was to sleep. As he finally dropped off, his last thought was that he should ask Ennis out for another trail ride. A smile crossed his face, but then he remembered Alma's fears, and hoped that she wouldn't keep Ennis from riding.

Jack didn't know how long he'd slept when he woke to his mom standing by the couch. He sat up feeling groggy and nauseated, and noticed his dad was also there. His mom asked how he was feeling, and if he could eat anything. The mention of food made him feel a wave of nausea and he said no, no food. He asked if Max was alright and his dad said he'd just taken him out and that he was back in the bed and was okay and for Jack not to worry. John suggested Jack go up to bed, and said that he and Denise would take care of Max.

"No problem," John said, and Jack decided that he was dreaming.

"Go on to bed. You'll sleep much better up there," Denise said. "Here, I'll help you."

Denise steadied him and got him headed up the stairs saying, "We'll take care of Max, you rest."

…

As Jack disappeared, Denise looked at her husband with concern. "Jack had been a lot better lately. I think the stress of Max brought on this headache."

"That trip got him run down. He works too hard," John said, surprising himself with what came out of his mouth.

Denise was pleasantly surprised. "I'm glad you're recognizing how hard our son works."

With a sheepish look, John said, "I was looking at some of the photos he's got hanging around in the dark room. Besides the ones for his work, he has some nice ones of Max, and he took some of the horses. There's even some of the Del Mar's and their little girl. People I didn't know had even seen Jack's work, have been telling me how proud I must be of him, and how well he's doing. Started looking closer at his stuff. It's not half bad."

"You should tell him that someday," Denise said, with a pleased look on her face.

"You know, it's not all my fault, the lousy relationship Jack and I have...have always had."

"I know, but if you both refuse to give an inch, nothing will change."

"Has he dated any since he's been back?" asked John.

Denise was taken by surprise by that question. "I don't think so, not that I know of anyway. Why do you ask?"

"I'd like to see Jack settle down, have a wife and family. It would be nice if he could have a big family. Don't we know anyone we could introduce him to?"

"He's young John; he has plenty of time. Where's this coming from? You're that anxious to be a grandpa?" Denise smiled.

"Maybe I'd do a better job at being a grandpa then I did as a father."

"It's not too late to be a good father. It's never too late."

"Look at Dr. Del Mar, he's Jack's age and already has a child. He's got it all, a wife, daughter, he's a successful doctor."

"Please don't compare our son to Dr. Del Mar."

"I'm trying not to, but it's hard to forget that he could be a doctor now if he'd only have stayed..."

"John, please, that ship has sailed. He's a photographer, and a very good one, well on his way to becoming extremely successful."

John ended the conversation abruptly by excusing himself to work in his study. "I'll be out later to take Max outside." With that, he left the room.

…

A couple of days later Jack was better, and had even slept ten hours the night before, pain free. He was up getting dressed, anxious to go downstairs to see how Max was when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. It was his dad asking how he was. When John saw the blinds open he must have figured Jack was back to normal, so with a grim look on his face, told him that Max couldn't get up at all now.

Jack knew this day would come, but he wasn't ready for it. After sitting quietly with Max for awhile, he went to the phone to call the vet. He put blankets in the back seat of his Land Rover and gathered Max up to take him on his final ride.

As Jack was preparing to leave, John joined him and suggested Jack have something to eat, and looked like he wanted to say something more. Finally, after a few uncomfortable moments said, "Do you want me to go with you?"

"Thanks, Dad, but no, I can do this alone."

Jack couldn't tell if the look on his dad's face was relief or disappointment as he nodded and headed inside.

Right after John was out of sight, Jack's cell phone rang and he saw Ennis' name in the display.

"Hey, Ennis," Jack said, trying not to sound like it was the end of the world.

"Hey, what's going on? You sound sort of different."

Jack gave Ennis the condensed version of the situation. Bottom line was it was going to be a hard day. Ennis told Jack that he could go with him. He was out that way to drop something off at Brad and Susan's, and he had some free time and wanted to see if they could get together.

Jack remembered that it was Wednesday, the day Ennis' office was closed, and said that he'd like for him to go. Ennis said he'd be there in less then ten minutes. Jack waited, and when Ennis arrived, he reached for Jack's keys and said he'd drive. Jack didn't argue. They talked very little on the drive, mostly Jack giving directions to the vet.

After they parked, Ennis said he'd go in to see if they were ready for them, while Jack waited with Max. Ennis came out shortly and said they could take Max right in. A young girl with a sympathetic smile motioned them into a special room with dim lighting and a padded table, with comfortable chairs and several tissue boxes on the small table between the chairs. A soft spoken technician helped Jack gently place Max on the table, and told them that he'd give them a few minutes as he stepped out of the room. Ennis put his arm around Jack and gave him a little squeeze. They stood next to Max, both speaking to him in gentle tones.

The vet and technician came in shortly. The vet spoke in a comforting voice confirming that Jack wanted Max cremated and the ashes returned to him in an urn. He touched Jack on the shoulder and said that they were all set if he was ready. Jack gave the go ahead, and Max crossed peacefully with Jack and Ennis by his side stroking his head and ears, both with tears in their eyes.

The vet told them to take all the time that they needed, and left them with Max. Ennis and Jack stood by the table side by side, arms around each other drawing comfort. Jack realized how much it was helping to have Ennis there. Ennis tightened his hold as Jack's tears ran freely. A tear ran down Ennis' cheek. All of the tension over Max's health began melting away. Both of them made use of the Kleenex before they left the room.

…

When Jack and Ennis got to the Land Rover, they paused and reminisced about Max. Ennis mentioned Alma's shoes and Jack told him some of the things Max had done over the years that were even funnier. The things Jack said brought smiles to both of their faces, and took some of the edge off the sadness that they felt. Ennis realized how much Max and Jack had come to mean to him.

Ennis told Jack he was taking him for a drive as he got into the driver's seat again. As they sped onto the freeway heading away from home, Jack asked, "Where are we going?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Ennis said, his lips twitching into a slight smile.

About that time, Jack's stomach gave off a loud growl that Ennis was able to hear. "Damn, didn't you eat any breakfast this morning?"

"No. In fact, I don't really remember when I last ate."

Ennis looked at him with a funny look, and Jack explained, "I've had a headache and been in bed for awhile. I'm okay now."

"Jesus, why didn't you say something? I'd have taken you to get something to eat straight off when we left the vet."

"I'll be okay till we get wherever we're going."

"Are you sure you're alright? You need to take care of yourself," Ennis said in a stern tone.

"Sure, I just hope we get there soon," and his stomach gave off another loud growl.

The freeway signs soon gave their destination away. Ennis drove them to Harbor Village in Ventura. The sun was high in the sky by then. The air was cooler than inland, and it was a welcome relief. They parked and started walking, heading straight to get something to eat, ending up at Cristy's Deli.

Jack ordered Ham & Swiss on Sour Dough bread along with Steak Fries. Ennis ordered Turkey & Cheddar on Whole Wheat and potato salad. They both drank Pepsi, choosing to sit out on the patio. Jack practically inhaled his food, with Ennis looking on with an amused smile. It was good seeing Jack relax and enjoy his food, the stress and sadness of the morning being put on the back burner for at least a little while. Jack looked tired. Ennis was bothered by the fact that he was still suffering with the headaches, and had that on his mind.

"After we get done here, maybe we can take a walk around, look at the boats and stuff? First, I need to make a call though," Ennis said. He took his cell phone out when he was finished eating and dialed. Jack could hear Ennis' end of the conversation.

"Hi, Sis, uh, I'm calling because I've got to cancel our lunch date, something's come up...Nothing for you to worry about...No really, it's nothing for you to be concerned over. ... I'm sorry, Anna, maybe we can make it next Wednesday, or we'll get back on our schedule next month."

As soon as Ennis hung up, Jack started in on him. "Ennis, you didn't cancel your lunch with your sister today did you? You didn't need to do that. I feel bad I caused you to cancel getting together with her."

"There's no place I would rather have been but with you and Max. Please stop scolding me."

"Was I scolding?" Jack said with mock horror.

"I get enough of that from Keith," Ennis said, and they both chuckled. Ennis had already apologized the week before about Keith's excessive questioning. Ennis asked Jack if he was sure that he'd had enough to eat. After getting a couple of bottled waters, they headed out to explore and check out some of the boats. Ennis seemed almost mesmerized when he pointed out the ones he especially liked. He found a boat that was much like the one that he'd been on back when he was a kid, and told Jack a couple of stories about those days.

"Here I am going on and on, and we're doing what I like, and it's you who needs the cheering up," Ennis said, almost embarrassed.

"Ennis, I'm having a great time, really. I like seeing you happy," Jack said in all sincerity.

Ennis had an idea then. "I know what would be fun...how bout we go bike riding?"

"You ride bikes?" Jack asked, with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Well...yes, why not?"

"Oh, I don't know...nothing...forget I said that."

"Well, I do, and I'll have you know that I would have suggested rollerblading if we were dressed for it," he smiled.

"Maybe next time," Jack said with a wide grin.

"Well, how bout it...bike riding, I mean?"

The next couple of hours were filled renting bikes and exploring the trails. Ennis felt good having the breeze in his face and being at the beach, carefree and unhurried, with simple conversation, and when there was nothing to say, that felt right too. Jack seemed relaxed and to also be enjoying himself.

Near the end of the ride Ennis said that he'd treat Jack to an ice cream cone, so before returning the bikes they stopped at Coastal Cone. Being mid week it wasn't crowded which was good because it was a small shop. Jack removed his sunglasses and Ennis saw his eyes light up like a kid as he looked at the 32 flavors of ice cream.

"Have what you want, bud, it's on me," Ennis smiled.

After much consideration, Jack ended up with chocolate chip cookie dough in a waffle cone, topped with chocolate and nuts.

"Damn, Jack, leave it to you to pick out something that looks like that," Ennis said, shaking his head as the gal made it. Ennis indulged in a simple sugar cone with Butter Pecan ice cream.

Sitting outside on a wooden bench next to where they'd left the bikes, they began to eat, and Jack said, "Sure that's gonna be enough for you, Ennis? Here have a bite of mine." He scooped out a heaping mound of ice cream dripping with chocolate and nuts, and held it up toward Ennis' mouth.

"No, that's o.k." Ennis said, holding a hand out, but Jack wasn't deterred and the offering was pushed into Ennis' mouth, not totally against his will.

"Yummy, huh, Ennis?" Jack smiled wide and took a bite of his own.

"Wasn't bad, I guess. Wonder how many calories it's got in it though?"

"Friend, is that all you ever think about, how fattening something is? Loosen up, Ennis, quit worrying, you could stand to gain a few pounds anyway," Jack said, his eyes dancing, repeating his earlier action of scooping a mound of his treat and feeding it to Ennis.

"What the hell kind of ice cream is cookie dough anyway?" Ennis asked, as he swallowed what Jack had fed him and licked his own butter pecan.

"Hasn't Alma ever made cookies, or your sister when you were a boy?...Haven't you ever eaten the dough out of the mixing bowl before it was a cookie?"

"Can't say I ever have. Jesus, Jack, who would do that? Don't answer that, silly of me to have to ask. Jack, you gotta do something about that sweet tooth of yours."

"Why? I like sweet things. I wanna have what I like." Jack shrugged.

"Well, that's probably alright now while you're young, but..." Ennis thought better of going on and raining on Jack's parade, so he just said, "You go ahead, have what you want," and gave him a warm smile.

When they were done, they stood up to throw their napkins away, but before Jack tossed his, he opened his water bottle and poured a little onto the napkin and started toward Ennis' mouth.

"What the hell, Jack...what are you doin'?" Ennis said as he took half a step back.

"You got a little chocolate on your bottom lip. I just wanna wipe it off for you is all."

"Who do you think I am, Junior?" Ennis said shyly as he felt a blush start up his neck.

Jack proceeded to put the napkin up to Ennis' lips and wipe them clean. "There, that's better," he smiled, and a look flashed in his blue eyes that Ennis hadn't seen before. It was gone as quickly as it came, and they headed back to get the bikes checked in.

They got into the Land Rover, Ennis still at the wheel having said that he wanted to drive again. "Sweet ride," was his comment as he got in. As they started out, Jack was fiddling with his cds, evidently trying to pick out something to play. In a minute Ennis was being serenaded by The Beach Boys singing Sloop John B. That brought a smile to his lips as he glanced at Jack who had a big grin on his face.

…

They pulled into Jack's driveway at 6:00 p.m. Ennis felt concerned about Jack and what he'd be doing for the rest of the night. He hoped that his parents would give him some understanding and sympathy. They got out and Jack walked Ennis over to his car, then before he got in, Jack gave him a hug saying, "Thanks for everything, Ennis."

Ennis hugged him back at a loss for words, surprising himself by almost getting choked up thinking on Max. As they ended the hug, he finally said, "I'm real sorry about Max, I'm gonna miss him."

"Thanks, friend, me too," Jack said, the sadness apparent on his face.

"I'll see you soon," Ennis said, and got into his car. Jack stood in the driveway with his hands in his jeans pockets till the black BMW was out of sight.

He walked into the house and his mom called out from the kitchen that she nearly had dinner ready if he wanted some. John walked out of the hall and said that he thought that was Dr. Del Mar's car that was parked out there all day. "Guess it was, I just saw him drive away," he said as he stared at Jack with curiosity showing on his face.

_To Be Continued..._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Ennis was tired of the silent treatment, and after two nights, tired of sleeping in the guest room. Wednesday night when he arrived home after leaving Jack, Alma had been livid. At first she looked relieved to see him, but then after finding out nothing was wrong, she'd let him have it. Ennis groaned as he thought of the scene on Wednesday night.

"I was worried when you didn't come home by evening. I kept calling your cell and getting voice mail. I finally called Anna and found out you'd canceled your lunch with her. She didn't know why...something had come up, she didn't know what. What was I supposed to think?" Alma shouted.

"Alma, Max had to be put to sleep, I was with Jack. I went with him to the vet."

"Max...the dog?" Alma said, with disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, Jack's dog, Max."

"You canceled your date with Anna and were at the vet...you were out all day!"

"Yes, Alma, why do you sound so surprised about it?"

"I'm just having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that you ditched Anna, didn't answer my calls and worried me sick, all because a dog died," she said disgustedly.

"Jack is my friend, Max was his dog. I had to be there for him. I know you don't like animals, but surely you can sympathize."

Alma was quiet as she seemed to think that over. Ennis thought maybe she might even feel a slight bit guilty, but he knew he'd been wrong not to call, so he tried to smooth it over.

"Alma, I'm sorry. I guess I couldn't hear my phone ringing."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"Uh, I thought of calling a couple times but then we got to talking and looking at stuff there at the beach, and I kept forgetting. It wasn't that late, I don't know why you're so upset. I said I was sorry."

"The beach! Why did you go to the beach? What does the beach have to do with Jack's dog?"

"After we left the vet, I thought some fresh air would do Jack some good, so we took a drive."

"I had dinner ready at six. I expected you here."

"I didn't know you were making dinner. I'm sorry, it won't happen again. I'll be sure to call the next time. That's all I can do, what's done is done."

Alma continued her tirade, even insinuating that Ennis was lying and hadn't been out with Jack at all. She said Jack would lie for him, that he could have been anywhere, how was she to know the truth.

"All these times you been out with Jack, I really have no idea where or what you been up to, him being single and all, spending time in bars, probably talking to women or..."

That set Ennis off and they had a shouting match which ended up with Alma going to the bedroom and slamming the door, but not before she screamed that he was to stay in the guest room. Well, good, the guest room suited him fine. But after two nights, he was fed up.

Ennis came back from his thoughts when Alma shuffled into the kitchen. She was making normal conversation and seemed to be ready to move on and Ennis went along with her. He saw no other way. She brought up Jack, asking if he was dating.

"I don't think so. Jack's pretty busy focusing on his work right now."

"It would be nice if he was so we could go out as a foursome. Maybe I can think of someone to introduce him to."

"I think it's best for you to stay out of Jack's love life," Ennis said pointedly. After a few more minutes Ennis gathered up his briefcase. He went to the play pen, ruffled Junior's hair and then was on his way.

…

The uncomfortable heat and humidity hadn't let up on the last Saturday of August. At least Alma seemed in a good mood, especially after Ennis had agreed that he and Jack would drive Junior to Anna's to be looked after while Alma made the rounds at the boutiques and malls, or wherever it was that she bought her clothes. She said that she needed new things for going back to work, so she'd been shopping a lot lately. Ennis and Jack had plans to go studio hunting, and would be close to Anna's neck of the woods when they looked at the first place on their list, and Ennis always liked an excuse to stop by her place anyway, so that was the plan.

At 10:00 a.m., while Ennis was making sure Junior's car seat was properly secured in the back seat of his BMW, Jack drove up.

"Hey, Jack," Ennis said cheerfully.

"Hey, Ennis, about ready to go?"

"Sure am, just let me get this car seat in here. Had to get a special one for my car because the one for the Lexus didn't fit." He concentrated on what he was doing and with the last little adjustment he was finished. "There, lets go in and see if Alma has Junior ready."

Alma had Junior all set to go in her pink and blue fairytale print shorts and pink tank top with Cinderella on the front. She said a friendly hello to Jack, and then surprised Ennis by looking solemn and offering her condolences about Max, and even giving Jack a little hug. Jack seemed genuinely touched, and hugged her and kissed her cheek.

Next, Alma reached for a summer hat to put on Junior. Jack and Ennis looked at each other when they saw the floppy purple and white hat with green rabbit print. Ennis suggested that she wear the baseball cap that Keith had given her for her birthday, so Alma went to get that instead.

As Alma left the room, Ennis said, "I'm sure glad Keith gave her that hat." Jack nodded his head and smiled.

While Alma was upstairs, Jack noticed some new photos on the mantel; one of the photos was Junior on her new rocking horse taken on her birthday. "How's she doing with her horse?" He asked.

"She's a natural," Ennis beamed.

"Well, when she gets a little older, we'll have to get her out to my folks place and teach her how to ride a real one," Jack said with a smile.

"That would be great...if I can get Alma to agree," he said doubtfully.

Just then Alma returned with the cap, and soon everyone was ready to leave. Ennis, Jack and Junior, along with diaper bag and a huge tote bag, left in the BMW, while Alma took off in her car. She said she would pick Junior up at the end of the day.

…

After a brief stop at Anna and Jim's, Jack and Ennis were anxious to visit the addresses on their list. Today was Jack's lucky day, and the third place they visited was the charm. The right price, right location, right facilities, and it was very near Ennis' office building. They both had a hard time believing that after all the looking they'd been doing, the perfect studio ended up being not far from Ennis' office.

This place had previously been set up as a photo studio, and had been done very professionally. Unlike other sites they had visited, this place would allow Jack to go right to work with very few changes to be made. It was on the 15th floor with a fantastic view, and Jack could already picture it being used as a terrific backdrop. The level of security in the building was also a good selling point.

After the deal was finalized, Ennis said that he'd take Jack out for a celebration lunch. Ennis knew of a nice little place that wasn't far, so he drove them there. The wait was a bit long because it was Saturday, but they enjoyed kicking back at the bar, having a beer and talking. Jack was so keyed up that he was talking Ennis' ear off and Ennis was happy to see him feeling so good. He deserved this.

Finally they were seated, and the service and food were great. It was dimly lit and nicely decorated, with red table cloths and white napkins. They started with the grilled artichoke. Ennis had roasted chicken with Spanish rice and broccoli, while Jack chose the rotisserie chicken and beef rib combo, corn bread and coleslaw. Ennis insisted that they have champagne, so they raised their glasses in several toasts during the meal. Ennis was surprised when Jack said that he was too full for dessert.

"Never thought I'd see you when you couldn't eat any more," he teased. Ennis passed on dessert too and they left feeling happy, relaxed and satisfied, and headed back to Ennis'. It was late afternoon when they arrived. As they talked in the drive-way, Alma and Junior drove in.

"Got any bags you need help with?" Ennis asked, as Alma opened her door.

"I can get them, honey, if you want to help with Junior."

"You need any help, Ennis?" Jack asked, and stepped over to the car.

"Well, you can take the diaper bag and tote bag if you would," Ennis said.

All three had their hands full as they headed to the house. After setting down the bags and Junior, Alma asked if anyone wanted a drink.

"I've got to be going," Jack said, "I'll take a rain check."

"Been a long day, Alma. Jack found a studio. He can finally stop searching," Ennis said with a smile.

"Well, that's great, glad to hear it." After a few silent moments Alma said, "I have an idea, why don't the three of us plan to go out next Saturday night? It could be to celebrate Jack getting his studio. I'm sure we can get Anna and Jim to come sit with Junior for a few hours. What do you think?"

Ennis was surprised at Alma's suggestion, and looked at Jack for an indication of how he felt. Ennis wondered if he was just trying to be polite when Jack said, "That sounds like a good idea, Alma."

"Good, we'll do it. We'll call you next week with a time and place," Alma said, with exuberance in her voice.

"O.k., that sounds fine." Jack said, with a smile that Ennis didn't think looked sincere.

Ennis walked Jack out and neither saw the smirk on Alma's face.

…

Jack should have been beat by the time that he got home, but he was too wound up to feel it. It was such a relief to have the studio that he'd been working toward for so long. No more dragging his stuff around and using other people's studios. He knew that he would still be going on location and traveling from time to time, but this was a big step forward in his career. Now maybe he'd have time to start seriously looking for his own place. Hopefully he could get something closer than where he was now. Driving from his folk's place in Hidden Hills everyday was too far in the god awful traffic.

As Jack entered the house, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart at the fact that Max wasn't there to greet him. Lost in his thoughts, his mom called out asking how his day had been. He filled her in on what he'd done, and she was delighted and excited for him, saying he'd have to take her and his dad to see the studio next week.

"Yeah, we'll work something out," Jack said, trying not to sound as if it would be a chore to take them, but that's how he felt. He wasn't sure what he'd have to endure from his dad on the subject, or worse yet, wondered if his dad would even go.

While Jack and Denise sat in the family room, John came home. Jack would have preferred that his mom hadn't started in about his news, but she was excited and proud, so told John straight off.

John didn't have a lot to say, but did listen, and acknowledged her by saying to Jack, "Now all you need is a nice young lady to share it with."

Jack didn't know what to say, and was glad when Denise stepped in and said, "He has plenty of time for that."

…

Jack was running a little late due to the usual Saturday night traffic. He was meeting Ennis and Alma at a club that he had never been to before, The Aqualounge. He didn't know if Alma or Ennis had chosen it, but when he arrived, he could tell it was Ennis who had. The interior had the feel of a ship deck. The lighting and decor, including the giant fish aquarium, gave off an aquatic vibe.

It was crowded and he didn't see Ennis and Alma for a minute, but spotted them over at the bar. He almost didn't recognize Alma. She was dressed nicer than usual, in a sleek black dress, and with signature high heels, it had to be her. She had her hair up and looked like she'd spent all day at the hairdresser. Even for trying so hard, all Jack could think of when he looked at her was, "cute," nothing more, and he still couldn't see Ennis choosing her to be his wife.

Ennis was wearing a white shirt with gray pin stripes and gray Dockers. Jack hoped that they hadn't been waiting long. He walked up behind Ennis and placed a hand on his shoulder as he leaned in and said, "You look mighty dashing in those Dockers."

Ennis got up and gave Jack a combination hand shake and one arm hug and said, "I think this is the first time I've seen you in something besides Levi's."

Jack took a step back so Ennis could see his whole out-fit, black dress slacks and black shirt with silver accent stitching. "I clean up good, don't I?" he grinned.

Alma cut their conversation short when she got up, hugged Jack, and even gave him a kiss on the cheek. He returned the gesture and said, "You're looking lovely tonight, Alma."

She said, "Thank-you," as she smoothed the back of her hair and gave him a small smile. She seemed nervous, fidgeting with her pearls.

"Jack, what do you want to drink? I'm having a scotch on the rocks." Ennis said.

"That's fine with me. I'll have the same."

While Alma excused herself to go to the ladies room, Ennis asked Jack if he wanted to get a closer look at the aquarium. As they admired the fish, an acquaintance of Ennis' happened by. Ennis called him by his first name, Tom. He said hello to Ennis, shook his hand, and said that he was attending a gathering in the VIP room and had come out to show some late arrivals in.

"Here, Ennis, have a cigar. I got it inside and don't smoke. If I remember right, you smoke cigars don't you?"

Before Ennis could answer or do any introductions, Tom patted him on the back as he handed him the cigar, then disappeared into the crowd.

It was getting more and more crowded as the night went on. Alma returned just when their table was ready. She took Ennis' arm, and they followed the hostess. Once seated, every time Jack tried to start a conversation that didn't include Alma, she found a way to insert herself into it. Soon they began looking at the menu. Alma kept leaning into Ennis, commenting on the items available, occupying Ennis' attention. Jack started to feel like a fifth wheel.

From their table they noticed a young, very attractive woman sitting by herself at the bar, scanning the room as if she was looking for someone. She had on a red cocktail dress, had shoulder length dark hair and red lipstick. The three of them started speculating that maybe her date had stood her up.

A funny look came across Alma's face and she said, "I think I know that woman. I can't quite place where I've seen her. Let me think..." After a few moments she said, "The Purple Butterfly, that's where I've seen her."

"The Purple what?" Ennis asked, and Jack just smiled.

"The Purple Butterfly, one of the boutiques I shop in. She's the manager there. Let me go over and say hello...excuse me."

Ennis and Jack looked on as Alma greeted the young lady. Even though they couldn't hear what was being said, it seemed apparent she wasn't happy about something, as she and Alma were having some serious girl talk. Ennis seemed annoyed when Alma returned to the table with the woman following.

Ennis and Jack stood, while Alma introduced her as Lureen Newsome. They shook her hand, and when she shook Jack's, she met his eyes and gave him a captivating smile.

"Lureen's date stood her up. You wouldn't mind if she joins us for dinner, would you?" Alma asked with an innocent smile.

Jack and Ennis exchanged glances, but what could they say but yes. "Sure, please join us, sit down right here," Jack said with his friendly, put-you-at-ease smile, pulling out the chair next to him. Ennis was far less friendly, but indicated with his actions that he didn't mind if she had dinner with them, although gave Alma a look that should have given her frost bite.

"I'm so grateful not to have to eat alone or worse yet, leave all sad and depressed. I had been on the verge of calling a cab when Alma saw me and came over. This was just so lucky for me, running into you all," Lureen said, batting her pretty dark eyes that threatened to tear up.

All things considered, the dinner went fairly well. They started with the Lobster Rangoon appetizer, and then the ladies both ordered sauteed veal topped with white wine and capers. Ennis ordered penne with basil sauce, and broccoli and shrimp, while Jack had the Thai style marinated chicken breast. After finishing off a bottle of wine, they ordered dessert and coffee. Ennis and Alma shared a chocolate soufflé tart, and Jack had strawberry cheesecake. Lureen passed on dessert, but managed somehow to get a bite or two of Jack's as Ennis gave her an icy glare that luckily she didn't notice.

Through conversation, they found out quite a bit about one another. Lureen was from Texas, but had been living in Los Angeles for a number of years. She had no family in California. Her well-to-do parents were back in Texas. She was determined to make it on her own, and had worked her way up to manager of The Purple Butterfly about four years ago. Ennis and Jack smiled politely as she and Alma talked women's fashion, and gossiped about some of the stars, and others, who shopped in the store.

Alma started bragging on Jack's new studio and playing up how great a photographer he was. "You should see the wonderful photos he took of Junior on her first birthday. Just beautiful. I don't know how you can photograph kids so well, Jack," Alma said. "You're spot on at catching the perfect expressions, isn't he, Ennis?"

Ennis' eyes lit up as he nodded in agreement.

"It helps to have a gorgeous little subject," Jack said, flashing his warm smile, making both Ennis and Alma smile brightly.

"Do you take many photos of kids?" asked Lureen.

"I've done some, most times along with their parents, occasionally alone. I gotta tell you, it might be surprising to hear, but kids are easier than the adults."

Everyone seemed amused at that. During a lull in the conversation, Lureen looked Jack in the eye, and in an enticing voice asked, "Would you care to dance?"

Jack, flattered by the attention, smiled and said, "I gotta warn you, I'm not a very good dancer, but I'll give it a try."

The two of them went out onto the dance floor and came together in a slow dance with Lureen pulling herself closer then their two hour relationship warranted. The move was not lost on Ennis. It appeared she was grinding herself right into him.

"Don't they make a striking couple?" Alma said in a tone that made her approval of the situation impossible to miss. Ennis remained silent so Alma then asked him to dance with her. Reluctantly he slowly got up and joined her on the dance floor, even though it was the last thing he was interested in doing. Both couples had a few dances during the evening.

It was getting late when Jack stepped up to Ennis at the bar while Lureen sat down next to Alma. "Ennis, I'm going to drive Lureen home. Thanks a lot for a great night. I'll call you soon," Jack said reaching out to shake hands. Ennis shook Jack's hand, feeling uneasy and uptight about the fact that Jack was leaving with Lureen, although he was having difficulty understanding why it bothered him. Lureen said her good-byes and thank-yous to Ennis, while Jack thanked Alma, and then they were on their way, leaving Ennis and Alma alone at the bar.

Alma noticed Ennis' demeanor and asked what was bothering him. "Jack hardly knows her and there he goes driving her home. It makes me uneasy," Ennis said with annoyance and stress clearly visible on his face.

"Oh for heavens sake, Ennis, Jack's a big boy, he can take care of himself," she said, dismissing his concern. "Besides, I know her, she's not a total stranger. People have to start somewhere to get to know each other. I think they'd make a great couple, and it seems like they hit it off real well. I wouldn't worry about it."

"A great couple? She seemed kind of phony to me. I even wondered if she was a part time actress the way she was so melodramatic about being stood up."

Just then Ennis got the bartender's attention and ordered a double scotch on the rocks. "You seem pretty interested in playing matchmaker here, you've got a lot of nerve forcing a blind date on Jack," Ennis spit out.

"Ennis, what's gotten into you? You have no call to speak to me in that tone. Besides, it didn't seem like Jack minded at all!"

The bartender set Ennis' drink down, and he picked it up and drank it down in one gulp. "Come on, it's time to go," he said, his foul mood only becoming worse.

"Give me the keys, you're in no shape to drive," Alma said in a stern voice.

As they got out into the fresh air, Ennis pulled the cigar out of his shirt pocket. He lit it with a match from the book he'd picked up inside, leaned against the building and inhaled the smoke into his lungs.

"What is that? It's a dirty cigar! You know I loathe those filthy things. Put it out, I don't want you smoking that," she spat out with disgust in each word.

"There's a lot of things I don't want, but I have to live with them. You'll just have to live with this," he said as he puffed smoke into her face.

"You'll sleep in the guest room then, because you're going to stink and I can't stand it," she shouted.

"More than fine with me, Alma," he said, and the way he was feeling, not giving a damn if he ever slept with her again.

In Ennis' less than sober state, he wondered why the events of the evening bothered him so much. Was it Alma's meddling, or was there something more?

On the silent drive home, Alma thought maybe she had pushed Ennis too far and should have kept her mouth shut about the cigar. This night had gone so well, at least for Jack and Lureen, now she had to make things right with Ennis.

_To Be Continued..._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

A couple weeks had passed and Ennis and Alma were on an even keel again. Alma was focused on her job, having started back to work the Monday after their evening at the club. Having her job to think of had helped her move on from the unpleasantness of that Saturday night. Ennis didn't see any point in holding on to his anger, so he had also let it drop.

They'd agreed on a nanny, and that was working well. Ennis still preferred to have Anna look after Junior, but figured three days a week with a nanny wasn't too big of a price to pay for pacifying Alma. Sometimes it was just two days, when he didn't have plans on his Wednesday day off.

This Saturday morning, Alma had taken Junior to the children's shops to pick out some new fall clothes. Ennis smiled to himself thinking that Junior would have as much to wear as Alma soon, if she didn't already.

Ennis' mind went over a lot of things as he worked off steam shooting baskets in the hoop above the garage door. He considered calling Jack to see if he wanted to play racket ball at the gym, but talked himself out of it thinking he might have plans with Lureen, although he didn't even know if they were seeing each other. Was that a match made in heaven as Alma seemed to think? He wondered, and wasn't sure what his feelings were, except that he had a bit of anger toward Jack for having left with Lureen, which greatly confused him. He hadn't heard from Jack since that night at the club. As he worked himself up into a sweat he thought, _if he wants to get in touch with me, he will._

…

Toward the end of the next week, Jack got off the elevator in Ennis' building and walked down the hall to the familiar office. It was nearly 5:00 p.m.

"Hey, Connie," he said with a smile, noticing an empty waiting room. "Any chance I can talk with Ennis? Is he finished for the day?"

Connie gave him a friendly smile. "Sure, Jack, let me check. I think he's just doing paper work." She got up and headed to Ennis' office.

"Go on back," she said upon returning.

Jack tapped on the door and peeked in before entering. "Hi, Ennis," he said in a slightly hesitant voice. "Hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No, not at all, long time no see. What brings you here?" Ennis said from behind his desk, glad to see Jack, and curious as to why he hadn't been in touch.

"Sorry I haven't called. You wouldn't believe how busy I've been. Here I thought with me working so close by, I'd be seeing a lot of you. Well, it hasn't worked out that way."

"What's been going on?" By now Jack was seated in the chair across from Ennis.

"Mostly work. Between appointments and getting the studio set up, it doesn't leave much time, especially when I'm beat at the end of the day."

"I hope you're taking care of yourself," Ennis said, looking concerned.

"I'm trying." After a moment of silence Jack went on. "Had my folks over to show them the studio."

"How'd that go?" Ennis said, waiting with anticipation for what Jack would say, and hoping for the best.

"Actually, it wasn't really too bad. Mom of course loved it, and was real impressed and happy for me. Dad...well, he was Dad, what can I say, but at least he came and didn't start anything. He was polite, and even made a few positive comments. I took them out for lunch afterward at that place you took me the day I signed the deal. All in all, it was alright. We're still alive anyway," Jack smiled, but his eyes looked a little sad.

"Glad to hear that. Your dad will come around a little at a time," Ennis said, trying to be encouraging.

"How have things been with you? How's Alma's job going?"

"We've been good. It didn't take Alma long to get back in the swing at her job. I think she feels it's less of a job to go out to work than to stay home and be a full time mom," he said with a slight frown. "Junior seemed to adjust to the nanny situation from almost the beginning which surprised me. I was worried about that."

"Good, glad to hear it." Jack stared at Ennis for a few seconds and then asked, "You doing okay?"

"Me...sure. Just working mostly. Thought of calling you one Saturday to see if you wanted to play racket ball, but then I got doing something else so I got off the track," he said, as he averted his eyes from Jack.

There was a bit of an awkward silence and Ennis couldn't hold off any longer, so even though he was afraid to hear the answer, he asked, "Have you been seeing Lureen?"

"I've taken her out a couple times since we met," Jack said.

Ennis had a hard time reading Jack concerning Lureen. He couldn't tell how interested he was in her, but that really was none of his business anyway, so he tried to control himself and not ask questions and rein in the resentment that he was feeling.

He felt the need to say, "I'm sorry about Alma railroading you into a blind date."

"Don't worry about it; no one was holding a gun to my head. I went into it with my eyes wide open. Besides, Lureen's a real nice girl and I have fun with her." Jack went on, "That's the real reason I came by. I wanted to invite you and Alma to go with me and Lureen to Palm Springs for the day. How bout a week from Saturday? You think that would work out?"

Ennis was taken by surprise, but after a few seconds of letting that turn over in his mind, he tried to keep an even tone, and said, "That sounds interesting. I'll check with Alma and let you know."

"We can take the tram and have lunch up at the top. It's my turn to take you and Alma out. Can you get a baby sitter?"

"I'll work it out and call you."

"Okay, I'd better get going. Long drive home. Call me." And with that, Jack waved goodbye at the door and was gone.

Ennis sat quietly at his desk thinking over what he had just agreed to, and tried to understand why he wasn't happy for Jack.

…

Jack and Lureen arrived to pick Ennis and Alma up at nine in the morning. They went inside so Lureen could meet Junior before they left. Anna was staying with Junior for the day, so she met Lureen and said hello to Jack.

"Hey, you two," Ennis said as he came downstairs, trying to sound pleased to see both of them. He knew that Anna had taken a liking to Jack from the first time she'd met him, so he wasn't surprised to see that she was making Lureen feel welcome.

"Hey, Ennis," Jack said. "Running on schedule?"

"Yeah, we'll be ready in a second." Alma appeared next, carrying a hat which made Jack smile. She greeted them and proudly said, "Let me show you our little girl, Lureen."

Lureen gushed over Junior, saying she hadn't really been around many babies, but Alma put Junior into Lureen's arms anyway, and she seemed fine with it, smiling, laughing, and asking questions.

"Uncle Jack, come over here and see what Junior can do," Ennis said with excitement. He took Junior from Lureen, and stood her on the floor and coaxed her to take some steps, which she did, and very well too. Anna, Alma and Lureen clapped.

"Wow, when did that start?" Jack asked, clearly impressed.

"Within the last couple weeks," Alma said, her face lighting up.

"Now we've got our hands full," Anna said. Everyone chuckled.

"As if we didn't before?" Ennis joked.

"We'd better get on the road, you have everything, Alma?" Ennis asked.

They said goodbye to Anna and Junior, and were off on their little trip. Junior didn't fuss at all when they were leaving, even waving bye-bye as Anna held her at the front door.

Ennis got into the passenger seat, with the girls getting into the back. The drive was pleasant with everyone finding lots to talk about. Ennis was relieved since they were going to be in the car for at least two hours each way. He had made up his mind that he was going to put forth an effort to get to know Lureen, and was more impressed with her than he'd been that night at the club. She seemed more natural and down to earth than his first impression. Less make-up for one thing. Alma sure seemed to like her, and the two girls had lots to chat about. They acted as if they'd been friends for years. Ennis guessed sometimes people just made connections that way, sort of like he and Jack had.

The plan was to take the tram and have lunch at Peeks restaurant at the top, looking out at the view. The four of them boarded. The tram ride was fifteen minutes each way, with breathtaking views for up to fifty miles in all directions. Lureen sat close to Jack, he with his arm around her, she with her hand on his leg. Ennis figured that this must have given Alma the idea to scoot up extra close to him, surprising him since they hadn't even as much as touched for weeks.

The tram was far from full since it was late in September, and it had just started up again after being in maintenance for most of the month.

It was still hot, and Ennis knew it would be cooler at the top, so he looked forward to getting up there for Alma's sake because she looked a bit flushed already.

It wasn't long before Lureen started to look uncomfortable, and said she was feeling a bit too hot too, and wasn't feeling very well. Jack said that he wished that they had some bottled water, but hadn't brought any. He joked that at least they had a doctor on board. Lureen tried to laugh, but she really was not looking well.

Ennis could see the color draining from her face. Alma was doing okay. Luckily for everyone, the ride was short. The fact that they were up so high, and the tram floor rotated twice during the ride, plus rocked as it went over five towers, wasn't helping. Lureen said that she'd been on it before and that it hadn't affected her that way.

When they reached the top, they walked around a little, and the girls found the ladies room before they wanted to talk about lunch. The cooler temperature felt nice.

When the girls were feeling better, the four of them headed to the restaurant. "Look at this view," Ennis said as they were seated.

"It's breathtaking," Lureen said.

"Don't go getting sick again. Maybe you'd better sit facing away from the window," Jack teased.

"Very funny," Lureen answered.

Ennis noticed that Jack was very attentive to Lureen and asked her several times how she felt. After looking over the menu and conferring with each other, the girls decided to have salads and half sandwiches.

"The tri-tip sirloin sandwich sounds good to me," Jack said.

"I hate to be different and not get a sandwich like everyone else, but the Margherite penne with chicken is what I'm ordering," Ennis said.

They had water and soft drinks, and enjoyed a leisurely meal with lots of pleasant conversation. The girls had both gotten back to normal and appeared to feel fine. The high altitude seemed to have given them all good appetites.

After lunch they took a stroll, Jack and Lureen hand in hand, and Alma and Ennis arm in arm. As the afternoon went on, it started to get cooler, and it was time to head down. Ennis hoped that the tram ride wouldn't cause the girls to feel the same as it had on the way up. As it was, they were all fine, but glad to be back on solid ground at the bottom.

The drive home was uneventful with less conversation than on the trip over. Ennis offered to drive home so Jack could rest, plus he loved driving the Land Rover. Everyone seemed happy, but a little tired.

Jack and Lureen didn't go in when they got to Ennis and Alma's, rather said that they had to be going, so they said their goodbyes outside and called it a day. As Ennis watched the Land Rover drive away, he had mixed feelings about Jack and Lureen. She seemed alright, and Jack seemed comfortable with her, but something about the situation still didn't sit well with him.

…

Jack pulled up to Lureen's apartment building at about dark, and swung into a parking space next to her bright red Porsche. The first time that Jack had seen her car she had explained that it was the last gift she'd allowed her daddy to buy her before she set out from Texas to make it on her own. They walked to her door on the fourth level. Jack knew that Lureen expected him to go in, but he didn't make a move to step inside.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked.

"I've got to be up early tomorrow, so I'd better get home."

"On Sunday?"

"Yeah, have some work to do," Jack said, as he ran his hand through his hair, and didn't meet her gaze.

"So I shouldn't expect to see you till...when?"

"I'll call you," he said, with a reassuring smile. He gave her a kiss on the lips that appeared to not last as long as she wanted it to, so she pulled him closer for a longer one. After it was over, she looked him in the eyes and said, "Call me, Jack." He smiled, gave her a quick wink, turned and left.

…

Jack woke up late Sunday morning, at least according to his dad's point of view. John had made sarcastic remarks numerous times since Jack had been back concerning his son's late morning rising. Jack liked sleeping in when he could, and lately he hadn't been able to with putting in so much time getting his studio set up, and having to make that damn drive dodging the maniac drivers getting to work. Jack prepared himself to hear more of the same as he walked downstairs, but the house was quiet and empty.

Jack made himself some coffee, and poured a bowl of Cocoa Puffs. He decided that after breakfast he'd go to the gym. He felt down, and thought some exercise would help. He wasn't sure why he didn't feel his best, after all, lately a day without a headache was a good day, and he had no headache today, at least not so far.

After a vigorous work out, Jack decided to take a drive with no place special in mind, and found himself gravitating toward the beach in Ventura. He felt the fresh sea air might help his mood, so he turned off his cell phone and spent the late afternoon walking, and doing a lot of thinking about the past, present and future. His professional life had taken shape, but his personal life didn't seem like it was going in the direction that felt right.

When it was time to head back, he realized that he hadn't eaten anything except the cereal the whole day, so figured that he'd better grab something before he left. He ended up at Cristy's Deli where he and Ennis had eaten sandwiches the month before. The food didn't taste as good without Ennis to share it with.

Maybe all he needed was to cut back on the long hours that he'd been putting in, and he'd be back to his old self. Tomorrow was another day; hopefully it would work itself out.

_To Be Continued..._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Instead of things getting better, they were going downhill fast. Jack was trying to fight off a headache. This was all that he needed. He had to leave if he was going to make his appointment with Ennis on time. He couldn't believe that he might be late when he was only a few blocks away at his studio. He was stalling for sure, he knew that. He also knew that he shouldn't have been drinking, and he hoped no one would be able to tell. _Hell, __it __was __only __a__ couple__ of __beers,__ no __harm__ in __that_. He planned to ask Ennis over to the studio after hours, so had made sure that he had something to offer him when he got there.

The last week and a half had been a bear. He'd been through a lot of shit in his life, but this took the prize. His nerves were shot, and he was at the end of his rope. The more that he thought about it, the more he felt his head throb.

In the lobby of his building, Jack bought a pack of spearmint Tic Tac in the gift shop, then stepped outside into the fresh mid October air, and considered walking to his appointment. It was pretty much a toss up as to which way he'd get there faster, walking, or driving in the traffic. He decided to drive. In the end, he was ten minutes late, but doctors, even Ennis, always made patients wait, so what difference did it make? He liked to be on time, that's what difference it made. He liked people to be on time when they had an appointment with him, so he tried to be on time too. Nothing was going right for him these days.

He made his best effort to look normal as he entered the office and saw Connie sitting behind the desk. He smiled at her, and apologized for being late.

"That's alright, Jack. Have a seat, it won't be long," she said in a kind voice. He figured she could tell that he was out of sorts by the way that she looked at him and spoke to him. Maybe he just felt guilty. Even the fish aquarium couldn't calm him down. He grabbed a magazine and opened it, but there was no way that he could concentrate.

It seemed like an hour before Wendy called him in, but in reality it was only about ten minutes. Jack tried to be pleasant, but he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders so it was very difficult. Wendy was her sweet self, so he summoned his strength, smiled, and asked her how she was, and even remembered to ask about her cats.

When Ennis entered the office, Jack felt a little better. Ennis had that affect on him.

"Hey, Jack, been awhile again," Ennis said, then stopped and stared, and locked eyes with him for a second until Jack looked away. He felt like Ennis could read his mind.

"Everything okay?" Ennis asked. "You look tired."

"I feel like shit right now. Got a headache coming on, among other things," Jack sighed. "Sorry, I don't mean to complain."

"Well, if you can't complain at the doctor's office, where can you?" Ennis said with a smile.

When he didn't get any reaction from Jack, he moved on. "Let's look at your file and see what's going on."

Ennis sat behind his desk and brought up Jack's information on the lap top. He checked the report that he'd been sent from the acupuncturist. He read the notes and asked Jack if the first treatment had helped, and how he liked it, and the doctor.

"The doctor was fine. Not sure about the rest. I've only been in once. They set me up with a schedule though. Gonna be hard to keep all the appointments."

"Well, you've got to put forth the effort, Jack, and give it a fair shot. It could be just what works for you."

"I know," Jack said flatly.

Ennis made some notes and asked several times if Jack had any questions. Jack felt like his brain was mush and couldn't think of a single thing to ask, and felt like he was just wasting Ennis' time.

When the appointment was over Jack said, "Any chance we can get together and talk after you're through for the day?"

"Sure," Ennis said in a soft concerned voice. "I'll be done in an hour or so, that okay?"

"Yeah, how bout you come over to the studio?"

"I'll be there."

"Good, I'll be waiting. Thanks, Ennis."

Jack made it back to the studio and tried to busy himself with paperwork, but he was barely able to concentrate.

Ennis arrived at about 6:00. He hadn't been inside the studio since the day Jack had decided to take it. "Wow, looking good," Ennis said, clearly impressed as he was let in. He hoped that by saying something positive it would put Jack in a better mood than he was back at the office.

It was a huge space, 5000 sq feet, bright and clean. The space was highly adaptable to just about any need. Ennis noticed the equipment and backdrops, all very organized and neat. It was clear how much work that Jack had been doing. It was flexible and comfortable. The dark room was built in one corner, and an office in another. In one part there was furniture and a fake fireplace front among other props, and in yet another area was a make-up and wardrobe station.

There was even a 20' x 25' loft accessible by a spiral staircase where there was a bathroom with shower, and a king sized bed for those times that Jack might need to spend the night in the city.

Jack invited Ennis into the client lounge area. Before sitting down, Ennis took in the view from the windows. By then it was dark, and the view nearly took his breath away, even though he had a top-notch view from his own office. This view was panoramic. There were black-out shades which could be used on the windows for those times when outside light was counter to the effect needed for a shot. Jack had been right the day he saw this place, it had it all.

Jack asked Ennis if he wanted a beer, and Ennis said, "Sure do," coming back to reality as to why he was there. He told Jack how great it was, and how well that he had used the space. Jack didn't comment. There was no mistaking the fact that he was preoccupied, almost nervous.

Jack set Ennis' beer on the table, kept his in his hand, and without sitting down, took a big swallow before looking at Ennis and coming right to the point.

"Lureen's pregnant and we're getting married."

Ennis felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach, and that he must have heard wrong. There must be some mistake. He grabbed his beer, took a long drink, and sharply said, "Tell me I didn't just hear you say Lureen's pregnant."

When Jack didn't answer, Ennis had trouble suppressing his anger. He got up and in a raised voice said, "Jesus Christ, Jack, how in the hell did that happen?"

When Jack stayed silent, Ennis continued. "What do you have to say for yourself?" He was becoming very impatient and agitated, and couldn't keep the anger out of his voice.

"Ennis, it just happened," Jack said, looking down at the floor.

"How does something like that just happen? Surely you used protection. Tell me you did, you can't be that stupid." Ennis shouted.

"Ennis, don't go there," Jack said with a defeated tone in his voice.

"What the hell do you mean, don't go there? Are you crazy or what?" Ennis held nothing back. "Jesus, Jack, you just met the woman! Surely you realize what can happen, and I'm not just talking about pregnancy." Ennis rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

"Ennis, it wasn't planned, we didn't have anything to use, we were in the back of the Land Rover."

"In the back of the Land Rover? What are you, sixteen?" Ennis shouted, with disbelief in his voice. "What were you thinking is what I wanna know."

"We took a drive up on Mulholland that night after we left the club. One thing led to another. I wasn't thinking, Ennis." Jack squeezed his temples and appeared to be in pain.

"What about Lureen, how fuckin' irresponsible can she be?" he spit out.

"Don't blame Lureen, it's not all her fault," Jack said sadly.

"How can you be sure it's even yours?"

"Lureen's not like that...it's mine." Jack said. His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"One minute of carelessness and you've screwed up your entire life." Ennis said in a condescending tone.

"Ennis, you've turned into Keith." Jack said.

"Yeah, well, I guess I finally know why the hell Keith talks to me like he does." Ennis' tone was thoughtful, and his eyes full of emotion.

"Ennis, you're not telling me anything I haven't already told myself...I just wanted to let you know the situation."

Ennis tried to keep the distress out of his voice and said, "Well, I'm glad you did...even if I don't seem like I am...Did you tell your folks?"

"Hell no, but I'll have to eventually...I don't want to think about it right now," Jack said, as he rubbed his forehead.

"How long have you known about this?" Ennis asked in a calmer voice.

"About a week and a half."

"And when did you come to the conclusion that you and Lureen are getting married?" Ennis asked, again letting his anger start to boil up.

"When she told me she was pregnant."

"Has she seen a doctor, not just used a home pregnancy test?"

"She sees one next week."

"So, she's what, six weeks along?"

"About."

"Were you only with her once?"

"Only once without a condom."

"Only once without a condom," Ennis repeated, shaking his head. He felt like kicking something. "That's like closing the barn door after the horse got out."

Jack stood silently, his eyes cast down to the floor looking dejected.

"So you two have been sleeping together," Ennis stated, with a pained expression on his face.

"A few times, at her place."

"So you're attracted to her...you're not in love, are you?"

"In love, no, not in love. She has feelings for me, more than I do for her, but I mean, I like her a lot, we're friends. She comes on to me, puts on sexy little outfits and won't take no for an answer."

Ennis thought of Alma in her strange little Tuxedo number. She said she'd gotten it at a boutique. He wondered if Lureen wore one of those too...well, maybe Jack liked stuff like that.

Ennis, trying to be the voice of reason said, "Jack, there's no reason to jump into marriage. Why not live together awhile and see how it goes first?"

"Have the baby and not be married?" Jack said, sounding less than convinced.

"Why not?"

"Ennis, I never thought you'd give advice like that. I figured you're into marriage and all, you and Alma been married quite awhile. Aren't you happy bein' married?"

That hit too close to home. "We're talking about you, not me."

"Why can't we talk about you too?"

Ennis didn't figure that airing his dirty laundry would do any good, only complicate the matter, so said, "I'm just saying that marriage is a big step. It's hard even under the best of circumstances. You need to think about this and not make any hasty decisions."

"Lureen and I have already decided. I told you what my situation and plans are. I wasn't asking for your advice."

Ennis could see that Jack was trying to keep his composure as he went on in a quiet voice, "What I need from you is support. Can you give me that?"

Ennis' heart went out to Jack. He wanted to make him feel better, not worse, so gave it his best shot. In the most reassuring voice he could muster, he said, "Sure, Jack, anything you need. I'm here for you," and he meant that in all sincerity.

He wrapped his arms around Jack and softly said, "We'll get through this, you'll see. It'll all be okay," and Ennis tried to believe it for Jack's sake. He felt guilty for having come down so hard on him, and hoped that he knew it was only because he wanted the best for him. Ennis tightened the embrace, and Jack relaxed in to him. Ennis could feel Jack's soft hair on his cheek. The hug lasted only a moment, but Ennis felt a strange calm come over him, and hoped that Jack felt it too.

Ennis hated to leave, but Jack insisted that Ennis go home. Ennis worried about him being alone with a migraine, and the worries of the world on his shoulders. He felt inadequate as a doctor, and as a friend. Jack said that he planned to sleep in the studio that night, so at least he wouldn't be trying to drive, so Ennis reluctantly left him, and set out for home.

He had lots of time to think during his drive. He knew that he needed to put forth an effort to not harbor ill feelings toward Lureen, but it was fuckin' hard. The thought even entered his mind that she had done this on purpose, but he tried to dismiss it. It was bad enough that he had it in his head that Alma and Lureen had set up the chance meeting in the club. He had no proof of that, only suspicion, and had never brought it up to Alma because he knew that she'd never admit it. And he sure didn't have any proof that Lureen purposely tried to get herself pregnant. What woman in her right mind would do that with a man that she'd just met that night? No, that wasn't reasonable at all, but neither was two adults having sex with no protection, especially in this day and age.

Ennis just couldn't believe that Jack had done that. He must have been desperate is all Ennis could figure. Lureen had been coming on to him right there in the club though, so Ennis could only imagine what she'd turned into when she had him alone parked in an SUV on a dark, deserted road. He immediately felt ill, so he pushed that thought out of his mind.

Ennis continued to try and make sense out of what had happened. Jack was a good looking man. It was easy to see how anyone would want him. Lureen was a looker too, in that short red dress and long dark hair, if a person were attracted to that type of woman and evidently Jack was.

Maybe they fell under a spell. Yeah, maybe there was some love potion #9 in their food that night. Ennis shook his head, now he was getting ridiculous. There sure as hell hadn't been any in his and Alma's food, considering their fight at the end of the evening.

He needed to think clearly in order to try and help Jack, and there was nothing that he wanted more in the world right now than to help him. He just hoped that he could.

_To Be Continued..._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The month of October was winding down. A couple of days after Jack had given Ennis his bad news, he gathered his courage again and told his parents. To his relief, they hadn't chewed him out the way that Ennis had. Jack totally understood why Ennis had reacted the way that he had, and didn't blame him, in fact had expected it. Since Ennis was a doctor, he liked to dot the i's and cross the t's, so before he'd left on the evening of their conversation, he'd told Jack that he'd be doing blood work to make sure everything was okay.

"Sure thing, Ennis," Jack had said, feeling too wrung out to say any more.

Jack's mom had been the most upset when he'd dropped his bombshell. She had tried to hide it, but he could see that her eyes were troubled. His dad on the other hand had been in high spirits. This had surprised Jack somewhat, even though he'd gotten the drift that his dad would like to see him find someone and settle down. Jack hadn't held back the fact that Lureen was expecting, although he didn't come clean that they'd only known each other two months, and that she'd gotten pregnant the first night that they'd met. He led them to believe that they had been dating for quite some time, and that's the story Lureen was going to tell her folks as well.

Maybe it was just that his dad was glad he'd be moving out, or maybe that he was looking forward to having a grandchild. Whatever it was, that day he had actually hugged Jack, smiled, laughed and patted him on the back. Jack couldn't remember him ever having done that before. Maybe there was a silver lining to this whole mess. Jack hoped so.

...

Jack and Lureen drove to Ennis and Alma's house for dinner on the last Saturday of October. Jack told Lureen that she was in for a treat because Ennis was cooking. Lureen had informed Alma of the big news just after Jack had told Ennis, and had asked her to be the matron of honor at the marriage ceremony. Alma had accepted without hesitation. Jack hadn't officially asked Ennis to stand up for him yet. He hadn't seen him since that night at the studio, only spoken to him on the phone. He knew Ennis would say yes, but he hated to see the look in his eyes that he knew he'd see when he asked him. Much like the look he'd seen in his mom's eyes.

Jack rang the door bell, and noticed pumpkins and other fall decorations on the porch. As Alma invited them in, Jack could smell dinner cooking. Lureen and Alma hugged each other as if they'd been best friends for years, and Alma greeted him with a, "Hi, Jack, congratulations!"

Jack gave Alma his best attempt at a happy smile. As Alma was taking Lureen upstairs saying something about Junior's Halloween costume, Ennis stepped out of the kitchen and offered Jack a beer.

Jack and Ennis retreated into the kitchen to talk as they drank their beer. Jack filled Ennis in on what had been going on, mainly how it went when he told his folks the news, and later took them to dinner so they could meet Lureen. He also told him what was happening with the wedding plans. Lureen's plan was to go to Las Vegas to get married. It wouldn't be a big wedding, just the two of them and their witnesses.

It was then that Jack asked Ennis to be his best man, and saw the look of uneasiness in his eyes as he answered, "Sure, Jack, you know I will."

The evening went well, all things considered. Ennis had prepared hot clam dip with crackers, fettuccine piccata, mixed greens with poppy seed dressing, rolls and wine...water for Lureen. For dessert, coffee, and pumpkin flan. After dinner Junior entertained them with her interesting walking style, with Alma going on and on about how much fun it would be when Jack and Lureen's baby was born. Junior and the baby could play together, and Lureen could out-fit the baby with the clothes Junior had outgrown if it was a girl. Yeah, Alma had it all planned.

Lureen gave Alma and Ennis the run down of the wedding plans which would be December 3rd at the Bellaigo on the Las Vegas strip.

"We wanted to have it sooner but with our schedules and getting Jack moved into my apartment, plus we've got to make a trip to Texas so he can meet my folks, well, it just couldn't be any sooner. We were lucky they even had the 3rd open. Any later and I'd be popping out of my wedding gown."

The girls then started talking about gowns, flowers and all things wedding, while Jack and Ennis occupied themselves with ESPN in the family room.

...

It worked out for Jack and Lureen to spend Thanksgiving in Texas at Jack's soon to be in-law's home. They flew in the Wednesday before, and left the Friday after. Jack was glad the visit hadn't been any longer. Well, they made it through, and that's what was important.

Lureen had big plans for the Saturday night after their return. Alma was throwing a bridal shower. All of the girls from the Purple Butterfly, plus Anna, Denise, and even Aunt Betty, were attending.

Jack had met all the girls who worked for Lureen. Against his better judgement, Jack had dropped by the boutique soon after they had decided to get married. He remembered Lureen standing there looking like the cat that swallowed the canary telling the girls what a catch she had while they all shook his hand and looked him up and down. The way they carried on, he could only imagine what Lureen had told them. He had been glad that he didn't embarrass easily.

On the same night as the shower, Jack had plans too. Keith had gotten wind of Jack's soon to be wedding and wanted to throw him a stag party, but to Jack's relief, Ennis had told Keith no. However, the three of them had agreed to at least meet at a bar to have a few drinks to celebrate the engagement. John, Harold and Jim were invited.

Keith had let Jack choose the place, and he'd decided on the Saddle Ranch Chop House. Ennis was the first to arrive, and shortly after, Jack, John and Harold joined him, having driven in together. They sat down at a booth and ordered drinks while they waited for Keith and Jim. Jack asked Ennis about Junior, and Ennis said the nanny was watching her for the evening.

Jack gave Ennis and the other two men the run down on his trip to Texas. He told them that Fayette Newsome was nice enough, but that L.D. was a piece of work. "I don't think he liked me much," Jack said with a small smile on his face.

"Well, he hasn't got any taste then," John said, and all four raised their glasses in a toast. Jack noticed Ennis was as surprised as he was at what John had said, and later he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ennis smiled his approval each time Jack and his dad interacted.

Soon Keith arrived, hugged Ennis, and shook hands with Jack and John. Ennis introduced him to Jack's Uncle Harold. Keith joined them in a drink, and very shortly Jim arrived, rounding out the group, introductions made again

"Are you gonna be giving that thing a try?" Ennis asked Keith who was eyeing the mechanical bull.

"No, not me, but I wonder if some of these gals in the tight jeans might, and if so, I'll be watching." Keith glanced around at some of the ladies in the club.

"You'll soon be the only one of us not married, Keith. We'll have to start doing something about that," Jim said.

"Well, it seems like all your wives would rather be spending time with each other, not you, so what's the point?" Keith joked.

"Well, you can blame Jack here for that. He's the reason they're having that little party. He went and found a woman that he wanted to marry. A very beautiful woman I might add," laughed Harold.

"Bout time too. I thought we'd never get him married off," chuckled John. He even gave Jack a warm smile so Jack knew he was teasing.

"What kind of a party is it anyway? A shower of some kind?" Keith asked. "Not a bachlorette party where they have a naked man pop out of a cake?"

"No, I don't think any men are allowed, even naked ones in a cake," Jim said. "Anna said something about it being a lingerie shower, whatever that is."

"Oh, lord, you mean they have all that sexy stuff there? Betty just might faint dead away...or walk out, I don't know which!" roared Harold.

"Let's hope she doesn't cause a scene," said John, and Jack couldn't tell if he was serious or joking, but knowing Aunt Betty, Jack could just see it now.

Ennis and Jack didn't join in much with the conversations. They were both pretty subdued, although when lingerie was mentioned Ennis cracked a smile and shook his head slightly. Jack was giving it his best effort to look like the happy groom to be so no one would suspect what he really felt, and he didn't want Keith to think that he didn't appreciate the little party. He looked across the table at Ennis and thought, "Thank God there's someone who knows how I really feel about this wedding...if only..."

The night progressed with much partying. At one point Jack got Harold's attention and quietly asked him if he'd been talking to his dad. "Just wondering why he's been easier to get along with lately is all, thought maybe you had something to do with it," Jack said.

"Now, Jack, you know no one can tell your dad anything. He thinks he knows it all...a lot like someone else I know," Harold said smiling, with a gratifying look on his face.

When it came time for the karaoke to begin, Harold said, "I just might give that a try."

"Don't go making a fool out of yourself," John warned him with an amused smile.

"What? I can sing," Harold boomed.

In fact, he did get up and do a pretty good rendition of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." That finally got Jack and Ennis chuckling and having a better time.

"No mechanical Bull, Harold?" John asked with a snicker. No one at their table wanted to ride the mechanical bull, although they enjoyed watching others try their luck.

"No, I'm too old for that. Let the young ones do it. Jack, what about you?" Harold asked, as he looked at his nephew.

"He'll cripple himself up for his wedding. Not a good idea," Keith laughed.

As the mechanical bull riding was coming to a close, the six of them were about ready to call it a night.

"I'm not as young as I used to be," said Harold, as they started to gather their jackets. Jack was pleased when John had volunteered to be the designated driver. He had said that he didn't mind since he was on the City Council and had a reputation to uphold.

"I'll talk to you before next Saturday, Ennis," Jack said, then to Keith said, "Thanks a lot, Keith, this was fun."

"Any friend of my little brother's is a friend of mine," Keith said, giving Jack a hug.

"One more week of freedom," said Harold as he slapped Jack on the back, and the three of them left.

...

Ennis, Keith and Jim were preparing to leave when Keith asked, "Ennis, are you okay? You don't seem quite like yourself tonight. What's wrong?"

"Don't start on me, Keith," Ennis said, not meaning to sound so gruff.

Keith held up both hands, "I'm not saying anything, Ennis. Goddamn, can't even talk to you."

Jim stepped in and said, "Hey you two, the night's been great so far, let's not ruin it."

Ennis was glad that Jim was there to settle things down. The three stayed a short time longer, then all said their goodbyes, telling Keith to be careful on the job. Ennis gave his brother a heart-felt hug and told him that he appreciated the gesture of suggesting this for Jack, and they all left for home.

...

Jack and Lureen's wedding day arrived, and the two couples were to meet at LAX to take the short flight to Las Vegas. Jack woke up at his parent's house that morning. Lureen had said that's how she wanted it, so their wedding night would be more special. Jack really didn't get what she meant, but went along with her. The ceremony was to be at 2:00 that afternoon. The flight was at 9:00 a.m. Jack wasn't nervous, rather kind of numb. He got himself ready, having packed most of his stuff the night before. He'd decided to dress up a bit and not wear Levi's. He had on navy blue slacks and a light blue shirt. When he got downstairs his mom and dad were in the kitchen.

"Have you got the rings?" his mom asked.

"Sure do, can't forget those."

Jack poured a cup of coffee and took the time to eat a bowl of cereal and some toast, then said he'd better be on his way to pick Lureen up.

"Next time we see you, you'll be a married man," his mom said, looking happy and sad at the same time.

John and Denise seemed to love Lureen. Jack was glad of that. At least she was someone they could think of as part of the family. He felt in his heart that he would learn to love her. He already did love her, but he hoped one day to be in love with her, to have sparks, and to feel more when he thought of her, and when he was with her.

He gave his mom a hug and kiss, and as he was almost ready to go, his dad gave him a hug, and told him he was doing the right thing and that he was proud of him. Jack nearly teared up, but fought against it. He felt a little bad that his folks wouldn't be at the wedding. Lureen didn't seem to feel bad at all about her parents not being there. This was her idea, just the two of them, Ennis and Alma. He understood why she hadn't wanted to wait around while a bigger wedding was planned. She wanted to be married in a pretty wedding gown, not a maternity dress, and here she was over three months along already. Time flies when you're having fun, he thought.

He arrived at Lureen's apartment in Santa Monica, and she was ready. At least that was nice, a woman who knew how to be ready on time. She looked radiant and happy, dressed in a pretty white skirt/jacket suit. They made good time to the airport. Lureen had her purse as well as her wedding gown, while Jack carried the two bags. They made it to their gate where Ennis and Alma were waiting, so that was a load off Jack's mind. He wanted everything to go smoothly. Alma was smiling, holding her matron of honor gown, and Ennis was even smiling, which made Jack feel better. They had left Junior with Anna and Jim. This was the first time they'd left her for so long, and Jack hoped they wouldn't be worried over the weekend. He appreciated that they were willing to do this for him and Lureen.

They boarded the plane, and the flight attendant placed the gowns in a closet. Jack knew that Lureen was nervous about them being damaged or wrinkled. He told her and Alma the stewardess knew what she was doing and that the bags they were in would protect them.

The girls chatted nearly non stop the whole flight. Jack listened to part of their conversation as Lureen told Alma that they would have to start house hunting as soon as they got back because the apartment was cramped even for two, let alone when the baby arrived. She told Alma her folks had given them a good sized check and that she accepted it since it was a wedding gift, and figured they could put it toward a house. Jack's folks had given them money, as well as Uncle Harold and Aunt Betty, Harold's idea no doubt, according to Jack. Jack's work schedule had picked up considerably, and Lureen's schedule was busy, so they'd postponed a honeymoon, and decided to use the money, along with what she and Jack had saved, to buy a house.

They planned to house hunt near Ennis and Alma's area, Brentwood Heights, because that would be close to Jack's studio. It would be a little further for her to get to The Purple Butterfly, but not that bad.

Lureen only planned to take the minimum amount of time off work for maternity leave so she could get right back to work, and her plan was to take the baby to the boutique with her most of the time. She thought that Jack might be able to take the baby with him occasionally too, if need be. That last part made Jack cringe a little, not knowing what he'd do with a baby in his studio while trying to work.

Ennis and Jack mostly listened to the girls talk, not having much to say themselves, except that Ennis mentioned his and Alma's wedding gift. He didn't say what it was, just that they might want to wait to use it until they moved into their house.

After taking a cab to the Bellagio and checking in, Jack was relieved that the rooms were ready. The girls said they would rest awhile before getting dressed.

Jack and Ennis headed down to the chapel to make sure things were in order, and found everything on schedule. Jack was happy that it looked as Lureen had described it to him. It wasn't easy planning things like this last minute and long distance, and he didn't want her disappointed. The Chapel was beautiful, with gentle hues of cream, rose, peach, antique green, and blue, and uniquely decorated with architectural sconces, graceful hand-blown glass chandeliers, lavish draperies, and amethyst glass windows traced with gold leaf and Italian stained glass.

Lureen choose red and white poinsettias along with pine boughs, pine cones and holly berries. Jack and Ennis were impressed. Jack made a quick phone call to make sure that the cake was on the way.

"Looks like someone's getting married today," Ennis said. "I wonder where the mistletoe is?"

"Mistletoe?" Jack asked, only half paying attention.

"Yeah, mistletoe to kiss under. It's gonna be Christmas soon." Ennis smiled and poked Jack in the ribs with his elbow.

Next, they checked on their tuxedos and found them ready. So far so good.

"I don't know why Lureen needed such a fancy gown with just us here and all," Jack said. "She said it's because the pictures will last forever, and she wants them to be perfect. That reminds me, we should make sure that the photographer is set. They have a professional staff of photographers here, which is convenient."

The afternoon was flying by. Two o'clock was getting closer, and it would be time for the ceremony. They were dressing in the rooms off the chapel.

...

When Ennis saw Jack heading down to the chapel from his room, he said, "You decided to shave after all these months?"

"Yeah, Lureen said the pictures would look better."

They wore black tuxedos with red vests and handkerchiefs. Ennis had a red bow tie, Jack had white. Jack pinned Ennis' boutonnière on him, which was a red rose bud. Ennis then pinned Jack's white rose bud on his lapel. They turned to look in the mirror.

"Wow, who are those two handsome men?" Ennis asked.

"Well, one of us is anyway," Jack smiled.

"Oh yeah...which one?"

"Never mind."

Ennis was glad to see Jack smiling, and even laughing some. He worried about him. "You nervous, bud?"

"Not too bad all things considered...Ennis, thank-you for everything. You've been great."

"No problem, that's what friends are for. I even have the rings," he smiled.

"Shit, I forgot to remind you. Lureen would kill us both." Jack and Lureen had chosen his and hers gold wedding bands. Lureen didn't have an engagement ring.

Soon the clock said it was time to begin the ceremony. Ennis walked over toward the girl's dressing room to check on them and overheard Lureen say that she felt her tummy was bulging in her dress.

"It is not, Lureen, you look beautiful. If I had even half as sexy a body as yours I'd be happy...maybe Ennis would be too," Alma said in a wistful tone.

Ennis tried to ignore Alma's remark and tapped on the door asking if they were ready to begin.

Lureen's gown was white strapless silk satin, accented with light weight beading. A wide red sash was tied into a bow hanging down the back, accenting the gown, and a chapel length train finished off the look. Alma was in a full length red strapless gown with a draped bodice, and bow at the side of the waist. Lureen carried a mixed bouquet of red amaryllis, red roses and china berries. Alma's bouquet was similar but smaller, and had white babies breath throughout.

Lureen took a deep breath and stepped out, ready to wed her Prince Charming.

Jack and Ennis stood in place. When Ennis saw Lureen, he thought to himself that she was a beautiful woman, no question about it, but he wished like hell that Jack hadn't been forced into this. He could have anyone that he wanted, and Ennis knew that his heart wasn't in this.

Jack smiled at his bride, and she smiled back. Alma looked pleased as punch, and Ennis' blood started to boil at the thought that she may have had something to do with this situation.

During the vows, Ennis focused on Jack, standing there looking so handsome in his tuxedo. Ennis could smell perfume, strong perfume, Alma and Lureen's mixed together, overpowering. Tuxedo...Jack's blue eyes. He recalled pinning Jack's rose bud on his lapel, and the scent of his aftershave which he could almost smell now if it wasn't for the perfume. He could smell it in his mind though, a woody citrus and spice scent.

All the scents and circumstance brought back his dream of last summer. In his mind he saw the beach, the surf, heard the sea gulls and waves, saw the man in the tuxedo. This time it wasn't a dream, he could see Jack's face clearly, but unlike the dream which was exhilarating because Jack was holding his hand, this made him feel sick at heart. Jack was holding Lureen's hand.

_To Be Continued..._


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

On a crisp clear day in early January, Ennis walked into Jack's building. He'd decided to use part of his lunch break to do some catching up. He hadn't seen him since the wedding, but they'd talked a couple of times on the phone. Ennis hadn't suggested getting together, but neither had Jack. The girls had met just before Christmas to exchange gifts, but other than that he didn't think that they'd seen each other either. Their lives were just too busy.

Well, his life and Jack's had always been busy, but they'd always made time before. Guess it was different now with Jack being a newlywed. Ennis told himself that was the reason, along with other excuses, but that's all they were...excuses, he knew that. If he had really wanted to, he'd have tried to make plans with Jack. The truth was, Ennis didn't want to face the fact that Jack was married. He wasn't sure if it was because of Lureen, or some other reason that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Finally he'd decided that he couldn't wait any longer. He missed him, plain and simple, so he wanted to change things. He hoped that it would be a good time and that Jack would be there. When he got inside, there was much hustle and bustle. Jack seemed to be in the middle of a photo shoot. Ennis stood watching, taking it all in - the woman being photographed, other people standing on the sidelines, and Jack, running the show.

After a few moments Jack noticed him standing by the door and hollered over, "Have a seat, Ennis, I won't be much longer," giving him a smile which made Ennis feel that he was genuinely happy to see him. Ennis sure felt happy to see Jack. He looked good, like marriage was agreeing with him, or maybe he always looked like that when he was doing his job since it was something that he was passionate about.

As Ennis sat there, he thought about the last time that he'd seen Jack; in the wedding chapel of the Bellagio. After the ceremony, photos were taken, cake was eaten and champagne was served. Afterward, the bride and groom said their goodbyes and disappeared, leaving him to spend the rest of the weekend with his wife in Sin City. They did a little gambling and saw some of the sights, but Ennis had been tired and not in the mood for much of the night life that Las Vegas had to offer.

After he and Alma had gotten to their room, he wished that he had stayed out longer. She came out of the bathroom in one of those outfits again, obviously expecting him to react romantically. This time it was a tight black thing that looked like a slip that Alma called a teddie. At least it was more sensible than the Tuxedo that she'd worn on Junior's birthday, but still, he wasn't in the mood and things went downhill fast with her ending up taking the damn thing off, and putting on one of his t-shirts.

He wished they'd had an earlier flight the next day, but they had the morning to kill, so it was more walking and sight seeing before they could finally leave. Jack and Lureen weren't heading back until a couple of days later.

Ennis' attention came back to the present. Jack was finishing up. The young lady, who he thought that he recognized from t.v., left, and the people who were assisting had disappeared, so Jack was free to join him.

"Hey, Ennis, what brings you by?" Jack flashed him a smile.

"Sorry I didn't call first. I see I kinda got in the middle of your work."

"No problem, you don't have to call first," Jack said. "Can I get you a Coke?"

"A Coke would be good, thanks." Jack brought them back and sat down, looking at Ennis like he was waiting for him to say something.

Ennis was having trouble starting the conversation. "Well, you sure look different from the last time I saw you," he finally said.

Jack looked down at himself and asked, "What do you mean? Oh, I'm not as dressed up, huh?"

Ennis found himself staring and didn't mean to, but realized he may have made him feel selfconscious, and Jack said, "Well, not everyone has to wear fancy clothes and a tie for their job like you do. Maybe that's one of the reasons I didn't want to become a doctor. I get to wear jeans to be a photographer."

Ennis chuckled and felt over dressed. "Listen, bud, me and Alma were wondering...it sounds like the weather forecast is good for awhile. How 'bout Saturday the four of us drive up to Big Bear for the day, if you're not busy, and if Lureen is up to it?"

"That sounds fun. I'll have to check with Lureen and get back to you. It would do her good to get out and have some fun on the weekend. I tell you, Ennis, I never knew what a workaholic she was."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, when I'm off work, I'm off work, but with Lureen, she's looking on the computer, making calls, researching fashion magazines, it just never ends, and she puts in a lot of hours at the boutique too. We've hardly even seen each other since the wedding. And after the baby comes, she's talking about doing some traveling to fashion shows and for clothing buys."

"That right?" Ennis said. "Alma's up for regional manager. If she gets it, she'll  
>be doing some traveling of her own."<p>

"She wanna do that?"

"Seems to, she's real excited. No problem for me to take care of Junior at night. I mostly do that now."

"Well, I guess our wives aren't Susie homemakers." Jack laughed at his own joke and Ennis joined him.

About that time a couple of the crew members headed for the door, calling out their goodbyes. Jack waved and smiled. It wasn't long before the young lady left too, along with the last member of the crew.

Ennis started up again, "How 'bout if we do go up to Big Bear, we take the Land Rover? That be okay with you?"

"Sure, we'll pick you up and you can even drive if you want to," Jack grinned.

Ennis' lips turned up at the corners. "We'll drive over to your apartment and leave from there. We haven't given you and Lureen your wedding present yet. It's good sized, heavy and kind of fragile. I don't think you'll want to use it until you move into a house though. By the way, any headway on that?"

"It wasn't too productive over the holidays. Hopefully now with all of that behind us we can get somewhere with our search. We almost have to be moved this winter with the baby due in the spring."

They talked a short while longer, and then Ennis had to get back to the office. Jack walked him out, trying to pry some hints out of him as to what the wedding present was, but Ennis' lips were sealed.

...

Lureen agreed to the Big Bear day trip. That morning, Jack helped Ennis carry the wedding gift in from the car. Jack and Lureen reacted very positively to it, and Ennis was very satisfied, telling Jack that he was going to have lots of fun with it. He told them that if they had any problems, to give him a call and he'd be glad to help.

Jack said that he'd drive up, and Ennis could drive them home. It was a nice two hour trip up the mountain. Many subjects were talked about; including Jack and Lureen's house hunting. Ennis mentioned having seen a nice looking house for sale about a mile from his and Alma's. He'd jotted down the address and realtor's name, and gave it to Jack so that they could follow up on it. Jack said that he'd call about it the following week.

On the drive Jack told them about his parent's cabin, and said that he was positive they'd be able to use it, and suggested bringing the kids with them, maybe in the summer. He and Ennis agreed that it would be nicer in a cabin in the warm weather, and that there would be more to do. They were interested in fishing, hiking and horseback riding. Alma didn't seem enthused about those activities, but Lureen said that she loved horseback riding, so was having some success in changing Alma's mind to at least give it a try. She told Alma that maybe they could even ride Jack's folk's horses sometime. Alma had a sick look on her face at the mention of horses, but said, "Maybe."

There was some snow in Big Bear, and along the sides of the road on the way up. Alma seemed to be the only one of the four who preferred cold weather. It was sunny and about 50 degrees, so it was very nice for everyone.

Ennis was still surprised at how close Alma had gotten to Lureen. It seemed she'd dropped her former best friend, Susan, and Lureen was her new best friend. That was okay with him since he liked Jack much better than Brad. It was sure nice getting out with Jack again.

Lureen and Alma were anxious to start looking in the shops as soon as they arrived, and Ennis and Jack were thinking more of lunch. They decided to shop awhile, have lunch, and shop some more.

The first stop was at the Visitor's Center to pick up a map. Ennis and Jack watched as the girls eagerly looked it over to see which shops they were interested in. Much to Ennis' dismay the first shop mentioned was a place called "Paisley Boutique." Ennis breathed a slight sigh of relief when it turned out that the shop had men's, women's and children's clothes. Ennis and Jack couldn't help but chuckle as they watched Alma and Lureen look at what seemed like everything in the place and then each of them ended up buying only one item. Alma bought a pink peony baby hat for Junior and Lureen picked out a baby blanket by "My Blankie," in sage green.

The next stop was The Bear Mountain Trading Company which was inside a genuine log cabin. Lureen bought some scented soaps.

By now Jack complained of being hungry, and Ennis wanted to eat too, so they convinced the girls to put the shopping on hold, eat, and continue afterward. They decided on a place called "Grizzly Manor." The slogan on the door was "Send more tourists...The last ones were delicious!" They all found that humorous. What was even more funny was the name of one of the sandwiches on the menu, "Alma With an Attitude." Jack and Ennis went into one of their laughing fits over the name.

"What's gotten in to you guys? Leave Alma alone," Lureen scolded. "I don't think that's funny at all."

Ennis looked at Alma and tried to stifle a laugh as he said, "I think you should order the Alma sandwich."

"Yeah, Alma, have the Alma sandwich," Jack said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Grilled ham and cheese doesn't appeal to me today," Alma said in an annoyed voice.

"Don't have an attitude, Alma, have an Alma With an Attitude," Jack laughed, with Ennis unable to control his laughter either.

"Okay, that's enough, stop before you cause a scene," Lureen said as she glanced around.

Alma ended up ordering jello salad with a grilled cheese sandwich which was called "Boring Phil."

After Ennis regained his composure he said, "Well, I don't see a sandwich with any of those clever names that I want. I'm having Gringo Tacos."

"What I want is the veggie burger and macaroni salad," Lureen said. "I wonder why they didn't give that a human's name?"

Jack, trying his best not to start laughing again said, "The Backyard burger sounds good to me, with the cheese, bacon and ortegas. It comes with French fries. That's what I'm ordering."

The girls had herb tea and Jack and Ennis had Coke. They all enjoyed their lunch, even Alma, after she got over her snit about the Alma sandwich.

After lunch they continued shopping, going into the Mill Creek Trading Company where Alma found a decorative throw pillow that she couldn't live without. As she paid for it, Ennis whispered to Jack, "Jesus, we have a whole couch full of pillows already."

Jack chuckled and said, "I was just picturing all the pillows on the sectional and wondered where she'd put another one, but I wasn't going to say anything since I figured it was none of my business."

Ennis took notice of how Jack and Lureen interacted. He heard Jack ask her how she felt several times during the day. She looked good, and was beginning to show. Ennis was still having a hard time understanding how Jack had gotten to this point in his life so fast. He seemed to have settled into this husband and father role though. One thing about Jack was that he didn't let problems get him down for long. He was the type who made lemonade out of the lemons he was given. Ennis worried about him maybe not letting his true feelings out though. Ennis had seen the reports from the acupuncturist, and the headaches were continuing, maybe more now than before, certainly not less. No wonder, with all the shit that he'd had to go through in the past months. Ennis hoped Jack's marriage would somehow bring him happiness.

As the sun started to set, they called it a day and Ennis drove them home.

...

It turned out the house Ennis had seen for sale was just right for Jack and Lureen, and they began moving the first part of March. Lureen was excited, and Jack was relieved that they would be in before the baby was born. They had movers transport their furniture, and they took car loads of smaller stuff over on their own, with Ennis and Alma pitching in on one weekend. Since the apartment had been too small for all of Jack's stuff, some had to be brought clear from his parent's house, including his piano.

It had been a busy and tiring time, but exciting too. Lureen took pleasure decorating the smallest bedroom as a nursery. She had it nearly finished, except decided to wait for news of the baby's sex before buying the finishing touches. She never failed to amaze Jack at how much energy she had. She was always on the go. Jack had a hard time keeping up with her sometimes. It was rough for him, juggling moving with work, and at times being too sick to do anything but stay in bed with a migraine.

By late March everything was moved in and organized to the point that Lureen had invited Ennis, Alma and Junior to a house warming dinner that she was cooking herself. She didn't have an extensive repertoire, but knew how to make several good Texas dishes that she'd learned from her mama. That night she was making Chicken and Dumplings and Cole Slaw, with Brown Sugar Pie for dessert. She even made Cheese Thins to serve before the meal.

Jack looked forward to seeing Ennis. He wanted to show him where they'd put the wedding gift, and Jack was proud of himself that he was able to get it set up without calling Ennis for help...but there were just one or two minor things that he wasn't able to figure out, so he hoped Ennis could get that fixed in short order. Also he was excited to tell Ennis about the test that told the sex of the baby.

The door bell rang, and Jack answered. "Glad you could come," he said enthusiastically. "Let me take your coats."

"The place looks beautiful," Alma said, as she looked around the room, "And something smells good."

Stepping from the kitchen Lureen called out, "Hi, you two, I'm chained to the kitchen, come on in, Alma. We'll get the guys some beers and Cheese Thins."

Jack motioned Ennis to come into the family room. Ennis sat Junior on the couch with the stuffed Max dog she'd brought. Jack couldn't help but smile at the sight of Junior with the dog. Jack turned on the t.v. and made sure something was on to keep her entertained while he and Ennis talked. He turned to see Ennis standing in front of the beautiful salt water aquarium wedding gift that Jack had worked so hard to set up and decorate. It was rounded in shape, and the top was a sculpted sand finished castle. It was accented with ocean treasures around the outside bottom.

"I like how you arranged the decorations. The colors look good. Lureen told Alma how good it was looking. Guess you kinda have an eye for stuff like that being a photographer and all." It was done in a multi colored coral reef design. "Not bad, Twist," he smiled. "But just as I figured, no fish yet."

"Jesus, Ennis, I worked my butt off getting this as far as I did. I didn't have time to go buy fish too. Besides, there's just one or two little things I was hoping you might look at before it's ready for the inhabitants," Jack grinned with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Can you help me out?"

"Sure, let me see," and after a few small tweaks and adjustments, Ennis deemed it ready to house fish. "You did a good job, Jack, you really did," Ennis said, placing his hand on Jack's shoulder and squeezing.

Just then Lureen and Alma came in with the hors d'oeuvres. "Honey, did Jack tell you?" beamed Alma.

"Tell me what?" Ennis said, clearly curious.

"I didn't get a chance to; we were looking at the aquarium."

Lureen took over, frowning at Jack, "You didn't tell him yet?" She looked at Ennis and said, "We're having a boy!"

"Is that so? Well, that's great news!" Ennis hugged Lureen and shook Jack's hand.

"Yeah, well, I just hope the test was right because we just bought blue Nascar decorations for the nursery," Jack said, with a slight bit of apprehension in his voice.

They all laughed, and Jack and Ennis took a drink of their beers, and had some of Lureen's cheese thins.

"Alma, how 'bout we go out to the car for a minute," Ennis said.

"Sure thing," she answered, following him.

Jack and Lureen exchanged glances. Shortly their two friends were back, both carrying a box with little plastic bags inside, each containing a different, exotic and beautiful fish.

"This is your house warming gift," Ennis said shyly. "Knew you wouldn't have any fish yet," he said, shaking his head and smiling.

"Well look at these," Jack said, sounding like a kid on Christmas morning.

By then Junior had slid off the couch and dashed over.

"Jesus, she moves fast doesn't she?" Jack marveled.

"Very fast," Alma said. "Pretty soon she'll be saying sentences. She's growing up too fast. She can say quite a few words now."

"She's been pretty quiet so far tonight," Jack said.

"We'll get her talking later," Alma said, with pride in her voice.

Jack and Ennis looked at each fish as Ennis explained that they needed to drip acclimate them before putting them into the tank. Jack didn't know what he was talking about so let him take charge of the situation. They laughed and made silly comments about the fish, some being so unusual looking.

"I swear, our husbands are like a couple of little boys when they get together," Lureen said with a smile.

"Well then, you'll soon have two little boys," Alma laughed, and the two of them, along with Junior, left to check things in the kitchen, leaving the men to play with the fish.

"You know, Jack, you gotta name all of them," Ennis said in a serious voice.

Jack got a thoughtful look on his face, as if he was thinking of names that would be fitting for a fish.

"Never saw you at a loss for words before, bud," Ennis smiled as he handed Jack a bag containing a brilliant blue Coral Angelfish.

"Here, this one's already been named. His name's Jack," Ennis said, his eyes softening and his lip curling up on one side.

...

The meal was delicious, everyone complimenting the chef. Junior sat on a booster seat, and enjoyed her food as well. Alma asked if Jack had helped, and Lureen said he wasn't even able to boil water. They all laughed.

"We're not all good at the same things," Lureen said, in Jack's defense. "You should hear him sing and play the piano," Lureen said proudly.

"Oh, we'd love to." Alma said, with a smile and lots of enthusiasm.

"No, no...Lureen," Jack said shaking his head.

"The piano movers just delivered the piano a couple of days ago. Had it in and tuned in a half hour. He played for me that night," Lureen smiled warmly. "He used to moonlight in a piano bar in New York, singing and playing," she continued. "He's so good! You need to hear him!"

"Lureen, I said stop," Jack said in a pleading voice.

"Come on, Jack," Alma said.

"Yeah, come on," Ennis said.

"Okay then, but you might be sorry."

"Long as you don't play the harmonica," Ennis teased.

They got up from the table and moved into the living room. Everyone found a seat, and Jack took his at the piano. In typical Jack fashion, he started playing "Chop Sticks," with a mischievous grin on his face, his eyes dancing. Everyone said, "Jaaaack!" He stopped and after a moment looked thoughtful and said that he used to play some of Elton John's music when he worked in the bar, and began playing and singing "Tiny Dancer." _Blue __jean__ baby, __L.A.__ lady, __seamstress __for__ the __band.__ Pretty__ eyed,__ pirate __smile, __you'll__ marry __a __music__ man.__ Ballerina,__ you__ must __have__ seen__ her __dancing __in__ the__ sand. __And__ now__ she's__ in__ me,__ always__ with__ me,__ tiny __dancer__ in__ my __hand._

Ennis noticed how memorized Lureen looked as she watched Jack. The same could be said for Alma, and even Junior stood still and was fixated. Ennis felt as if he were under some sort of spell, and something stirred inside him while Jack played and sang. Jack also seemed lost in the music. No question, he was good. Another one of Jack Fuckin' Twist's many talents. Bet he made a lot of tips in that piano bar, thought Ennis. After it was over, everyone including Junior, clapped. Junior jumped up and down repeating, "Good! Good!"

"Okay are you satisfied now?" Jack asked, and left the piano and sat down in a chair. Junior ran over, still saying, "Good," and clapping. He picked her up and held her close, and Ennis couldn't quite read the look on Jack's face.

Later, when the girls had gone back into the dining room to tidy up, Ennis asked Jack why he hadn't mentioned that he had worked in the piano bar.

"I thought I mentioned the bar," Jack said.

"Oh, you did, said you used to go there, but you didn't say you worked there. I thought you used to go there to drink. I had no idea you could play and sing like you do."

"I'm sure I told you I played the piano."

"Jack, don't try and get me off the track here. You did say you played the piano, but didn't say you played it, let alone sang, in the piano bar," Ennis said, putting emphasis in his voice.

"What difference does it make? Maybe I forgot to say it, or you didn't hear me say it," Jack said in a tone that said don't push me.

Ennis could tell Jack was trying to beat around the bush and not give him a straight answer, and that made him curious. He looked at him confused, wanting to ask more, but not wanting to pry.

Ennis continued staring until Jack finally said, "Look, Ennis, those days weren't the best. I'd just as soon forget them."

Ennis could see that he wasn't going to get anywhere, and didn't want to be nosy anyway, so reluctantly said, "Okay, bud, sure, no problem. Was just curious is all."

They changed the subject, and the mood improved. Ennis still wondered about it though. _What __the __hell __could__ have __been__ so __bad__ that__ he__ doesn__'__t __want__ to__ remember..._

_To Be Continued...  
><em>


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It was the last Friday of March as Jack worked to put his equipment away after a particularly grueling photo shoot. Everyone had finally cleared out and it was quiet when he heard the door open and footsteps approach. He thought that someone had forgotten something but when he turned around, was surprised to see his dad standing there. Immediately Jack knew something was wrong and braced himself.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"I just heard that Keith Del Mar was shot and killed while on duty." John's face was pale and grim.

"Oh, God." Jack felt weak and unsteady. He ran his hand through his hair. "What happened?"

John told him all he knew. Keith and his partner had responded to a robbery and things went wrong. He was shot, and died at the scene with his partner by his side. There was nothing anyone could do.

John became concerned about Jack. "Why don't you sit down," he said, and took Jack's arm, directing him toward a chair. "Can I get you something to drink? Do you have any water around here, or something stronger?"

"I don't want anything...but you get yourself something if you want." Jack motioned to the side of the room. "There's a water cooler over there, and soda and beer in the refrigerator," he said in a shaky voice.

John got some water for himself, and a cup for Jack. The two sat quietly for some time as Jack let the news sink in. It was apparent that John was also shaken.

"How long ago did this happen?"

"A couple of hours."

"Jesus...I need to go see Ennis," Jack said, feeling sick to think how horrible this was, Keith gone. How would Ennis react, and Anna? He was having a hard time breathing.

"I'll drive you over to the Del Mar's. I want to see them too," John said.

"I can meet you there," Jack said, sounding less than convincing.

"Why don't you let me take you? You're too upset to drive."

"No, I'd better drive myself, and Ennis' place is on the way home."

John reluctantly agreed. "Okay then, if you're sure."

"Did you tell mom?" Jack asked, thinking about calling Lureen.

"No, not yet."

The two men called their wives and broke the news, then Jack locked up and they left for Ennis'.

...

Jack arrived in front of Ennis' house a few minutes before John, so he waited. He was in shock, and could only imagine what Ennis was feeling. He saw a car parked in the driveway that he recognized as Jim and Anna's. At least they all knew already and were together.

Alma answered the door, her eyes red and puffy. She grabbed Jack and hugged him tightly, and gave John a hug too. Anna, Jim and Ennis were in the living room and stood up when they saw Jack and John. They all greeted each other. When Jack hugged Ennis it felt like Ennis' legs were going to give way as he slumped and took a sharp intake of air. Jack tightened his grip to help hold him up if he had to, but Ennis regained control and held himself together.

About that time Junior came bounding in from the family room shouting, "Uncle Jack."

"Hey, sweetheart," Jack said in a soft voice as he knelt down and tried to give her the best smile that he could muster.

She babbled some sentences with only a word here and there coming out clearly, but it seemed like she wanted him to go into the family room with her. Ennis and Jack followed. Junior was able to give them something to focus on other than their grief. She busied herself with alphabet blocks, telling Jack all about them.

There really wasn't anything to say. Nothing Jack could say or do would make things better, so he just sat with Ennis, and pretty soon Alma brought them beers which sure hit the spot. John talked with Alma, Jim and Anna in the living room.

After about an hour, John excused himself to leave, first finding Ennis to say good-bye. He asked Jack if he was coming, but Jack said that he'd stay awhile longer. He felt like he needed to be there for Ennis, even though Ennis had his wife, sister and brother-in-law, not to mention his daughter. It made Jack feel like he was helping Ennis in some small way by just being there, or maybe it was helping him feel better by being close to Ennis.

Anna came in and said that she had made some lunch, but no one was able to eat much. As the afternoon ticked on, Ennis insisted that Jack go home. "Lureen needs you, you should go," Ennis said, as he tried to convince Jack that he was okay.

Finally Jack relented and headed home, but not before making Ennis promise that he'd call him day or night if he needed anything.

"We'll call you about the arrangements," Alma said as Jack left.

...

Jack saw Lureen off at the airport for her trip to Phoenix for a two day sales strategy seminar. It had been planned before the first of the year so there was no way to get out of it. The seminar was being held Thursday and Friday, and she wasn't due home until Sunday evening, having decided to take the weekend to unwind with fellow employees. Jack had concerns about her traveling at that point, let alone staying extra days to socialize with friends. She had told him she was pregnant not sick, and assured him that it was fine. He was just glad that she had a late afternoon flight which had allowed her to make the funeral and luncheon afterward.

The funeral was bigger than Jack expected, and it seemed to give Ennis and Anna comfort to know how many people cared for, and respected Keith. The mayor and police commissioner offered their support to the family. There were hundreds of police officers in attendance and many had to stand during the service. The funeral procession caused some traffic delays. The flag at city hall and at Keith's precinct flew at half staff.

Ennis sat next to Anna during the funeral, with Jim on her other side. Alma was on the other side of Ennis, with Jack seated next to Alma, and Lureen next to him. Everyone was doing pretty well until the LAPD Emerald Society began playing the bagpipes. Anna wept openly with Jim and Ennis trying to console her. Many at the service were wiping their eyes. Jack thought that he'd never heard anything so mournful. A photo of Keith in his uniform was displayed by the casket. The floral arrangements were beautiful. The flag from the casket was folded and presented to Anna. It felt surreal to Jack, and he couldn't begin to know how it felt to the family.

The luncheon afterward was held at Keith's partner's home. His wife and family members took care of the arrangements. Just family, close friends, and the officers from Keith's precinct attended.

After lunch Jack felt uneasy about leaving but he had to drive Lureen to the airport, so they said their goodbyes and he told Ennis to call him if he needed anything, even just to talk. The embrace they shared nearly made them both break down. They choked back tears and drew strength from each other, pulled themselves together, and Jack reluctantly left. Jack worried about Ennis. He seemed very together on the outside, but Jack knew that he was hurting and was keeping it together for Anna's sake. He knew that it was going to take Ennis a very long time to get past this, if he ever could.

...

That evening Jack was home in a quiet, peaceful house thinking that after the baby came it wouldn't be like that anymore. As he thought about what to have for dinner, the phone rang. It was Alma asking in a worried voice if Ennis was there. She said that he'd gone out and she didn't know where. He was upset when he left and it had been an hour and he wasn't back and wasn't answering his cell phone. She asked Jack to come over.

Alma opened the door before Jack even rang the bell. "Thanks for coming." She couldn't hide the stress and worry on her face.

"Hi, Alma, no word yet, huh?"

"No, and I'm worried sick."

"I'm assuming you called Anna? How about his office?"

"I called all over," she said wringing her hands.

"He probably just needs some time alone. He'll be back soon." Jack said, hoping he sounded convincing.

Once inside, Jack asked where Junior was, and after scooping her up in his arms, he got her some toys to play with, and tried to get Alma's mind focused on something besides Ennis.

It seemed to work, because as they sat watching Junior play, Alma asked, "Lureen get away okay?"

"Yeah, just fine. She called when she landed."

"You hungry? I could fix you a sandwich out of some ham we have in the refrigerator. One of the neighbors brought it over. In fact, there's lots of food in there. We could heat something up if you want."

"Okay, let's do that," Jack said. "Maybe by the time we get it ready, Ennis will be here. He might be able to eat something too." Jack hoped Ennis would come walking in any minute, and it turned out that by the time the food was ready, he'd found his way home.

Junior hollered, "Daddy," and Alma breathed a sign of relief and so did Jack, even though he figured nothing was wrong and that Ennis just needed time to be alone to think.

"Hey, darlin'," Ennis said to Junior. Then to Jack, "What are you doing here, Jack?" His face remained solemn, but his eyes said that he was glad to see him.

"Lureen didn't leave me any food, so I had to come over here to see if Alma would take pity and feed me," Jack smiled.

"Twist, you and your stomach. Didn't you have enough to eat this afternoon at the luncheon?"

"That was hours ago," Jack said. "Aren't you hungry by now?"

"I hadn't really thought about it," Ennis said with his head hanging down.

"Well, you'd better think about it and come sit down and try to eat. Junior's hungry, aren't you, sweetheart?" Jack said, smiling at her.

"Yes," she shouted.

That made Ennis' mouth turn up slightly, and he joined her at the table with Alma and Jack following. They all ate some even though no one really felt like it, but they tried for each other. Jack and Alma didn't bring up the fact that Ennis had gone out; neither asked where he'd been.

Alma suggested that the men go see if there was anything on t.v. while she cleaned up the dishes. Jack offered to help her, but she gave him a look that said Ennis needed him more than she did, so they headed to the family room, while Alma and Junior stayed in the dining room.

After awhile, Alma stuck her head in and said she was beat and was going to put Junior to bed and go herself. She said goodnight, and gave Jack a look that said she hoped he'd stay awhile. Jack said goodnight to Alma and Junior.

"I'm going to go up and help put Junior to bed," Ennis said to Jack. "I'll bring some beers and chips back. How 'bout finding something better than CNN to watch. That's too depressing."

Jack surfed the channels. When Ennis returned Jack said, "I didn't find anything worthwhile. How bout we play some cards?"

Ennis turned the t.v. off and put some cd's on instead. Sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, they drank, ate their chips and played Gin Rummy well into the night. Many trips to the refrigerator and bathroom later, they both had quite a buzz.

They jokingly commented on their many trips to the bathroom, "What a waste of good beer," or "I'm built like a funnel, pour it in one end, piss it out the other." By then even the dumbest jokes or comments caused them to laugh uncontrollably. After an extra bad joke, they both howled with laughter, and ended up lying side by side on the floor.

Suddenly Ennis said in a serious voice, "Why did this have to happen to Keith...it hurts so bad." Jack reached for Ennis' hand. Their fingers entwined and they stayed that way for a time. Ennis felt a connection that seemed right. Without warning Ennis raised up on his elbow, gazed into Jack's eyes, and as if compelled by an outside force, rolled partially onto Jack and slowly brought his lips to Jack's, giving him a soft chaste kiss. Ennis felt Jack respond by grasping the back of his head with one hand as he placed his other around his back. Ennis had never experienced such unrelenting passion in a kiss. Jack's tongue demanded entrance, and Ennis didn't object. The kiss made Ennis feel so alive. He slipped his hands behind Jack's back and pulled him into a tight embrace, never breaking the kiss. Ennis felt exhilaration like he had never felt before.

Suddenly it was over as Ennis came to his senses and pulled away. Realizing what had happened, he apologized and collapsed onto Jack's chest. He could feel his own heart racing, and hear Jack's pounding. A feeling of serenity washed over him, but was then replaced by a slight feeling of fear. He rose up to apologize again, and realized Jack had passed out. Even in his current condition, Ennis knew that he was rock hard, and looked down and saw through Jack's jeans that he was the same. He wondered if Jack even knew what had happened, but the way he kissed back, he had to know. But did he think that he was kissing Lureen...Ennis was getting more confused by the second. He was even beginning to question if anything had actually happened or if he'd dreamed it all.

He didn't know what to do about Jack lying on the floor. Sleeping there would sure be uncomfortable, but in his condition he wouldn't feel it till the next morning. Ennis staggered upstairs to at least get him a pillow and blanket. He was becoming more sober as the minutes ticked by.

He came back and knelt beside Jack, gently lifted his head and slid the pillow underneath. He paused and watched him breathe for a few seconds. The look on Jack's face indicated that he was in a deep, tranquil sleep. Ennis snapped out of his near trance, took Jack's shoes off, and placed the blanket over him. He turned the stereo off, and left the room to again make his way up the stairs.

In his bedroom he was glad to see Alma was dead to the world and hadn't witnessed anything. As he undressed, he could taste the saltiness from Jack's lips, and could smell Jack's aftershave...a woody citrus, spice scent. His face was burning from the friction of their stubble. He laid down and tried to get into a comfortable position without waking Alma. Trying to make sense of what had just happened, he drifted into a blissful sleep, dreaming about the kiss, the taste, the scent, the embrace, the feel...of Jack.

...

Alma didn't want to, but felt she needed to wake Ennis up even though he seemed to be in a deep sleep. She was ready to leave for work, and wanted to make sure that he was prepared to watch Junior.

"Ennis, Ennis," she whispered. Then louder, "Ennis!" She had to resort to shaking his arm to get any reaction.

He slowly came to life, feeling pretty tough from all of the beer he'd consumed the night before, and getting to bed so late. He was coming out of a dream, and at first he forgot about Keith, and when it hit him, it was twice as bad and made his stomach sink.

He tried to focus on his dream. It was fading away fast, but he heard a song repeating in his mind. He concentrated, and it seemed like it had something to do with Jack. Jack...

"Jack's down in the family room," Ennis croaked out in a thick voice.

"What? Why?" Alma asked, surprised.

"Uh, he fell asleep down there, so he slept there all night."

"Why didn't he sleep in the guest room?"

"I told you, he feel asleep downstairs."

Alma gave him a skeptical look. "I just wanted to tell you Junior's still sleeping and I'm leaving for work."

"Okay, I'll take care of her," Ennis said, rubbing his eyes.

"You don't have a hangover, do you, Ennis?" Alma said with disdain in her voice. Her tone softened and she said, "Never mind, I'll see you later. I'm running late." She quickly rushed out the door.

Ennis needed a few minutes to think. He rubbed his eyes again, and tried to remember the events of the night before, or rather, the wee hours of the morning. It all came flooding back, he and Jack had kissed. His thoughts went to Jack. What did he remember, what did he think? Was he even still down there or had he run out as soon as he woke up?

Ennis dragged himself out of bed and took a quick shower, not bothering to shave. He pulled on some jeans and slipped on an olive green t-shirt. He peeked in on Junior and was glad she was still sleeping, or maybe he would have been better off had she been awake. She would be a distraction from other, more uncomfortable topics of conversation if he had her with him when he went downstairs.

Ennis' confusion of the night before was still with him. He couldn't imagine what had possessed him to kiss Jack. And, Jack. Jesus, he had definitely kissed him back. Jack's kiss was the most passionate that he'd ever experienced in his life. He wasn't surprised, knowing Jack like he did. He was passionate about lots of things. That's just the way he imagined Jack would kiss...but why was he giving so much thought to how Jack kisses? That line of thinking was really strange. Must be the hangover. And that song that he couldn't get out of his head. He realized that it had been playing during the kiss. It was Billy Joel's River of Dreams. He had a slight headache and hoped Jack didn't have one too. Jack seemed drunker than he was last night, so he was probably in even worse shape.

He went back to wondering what Jack would remember, and wondered if Jack had known that it was him that he was kissing. Shit, he could go back and forth all day wondering, but the only way to find out was to go down and see what Jack said when he saw him. Suddenly Ennis felt nervous and even shy. He was embarrassed. _God,__what's __wrong__ with __me,_ he thought. _You__ just __lost __your __brother__ that's__ what's __wrong__ with__ you. __Jack__ will__ just __have__ to __understand. __People__ do__ strange__ things__ when __they're__ grief__ stricken_. That had to have been it, not to mention all the beer he'd drank.

...

Ennis slipped quietly downstairs and looked into the family room and saw that Jack had moved onto the sectional at some point. It appeared that he was still asleep. Ennis went into the kitchen to see if there was enough coffee left from Alma's pot, and decided to make fresh. He needed something to do to calm himself down. When the coffee was almost finished brewing, Ennis turned and there stood a disheveled Jack with a disarming look on his face.

"Morning," Jack said in a quiet voice.

"Good morning," Ennis replied. "There's coffee here. You want some cereal?"

"That would be good, thanks."

Ennis thought that at least they were talking normally, but wished that he could read Jack's mind.

"If you wanna take a shower, make yourself at home," Ennis offered.

Jack ran his hand through his hair, "I'll wait till I go home, need to change clothes, have some things to do this afternoon."

"Okay, suit yourself." Ennis tried to sound friendly, and not give the impression that he was in any way angry or upset about what had happened, if Jack even had any idea, which Ennis still wasn't sure of.

Jack sat down at the table, obviously waiting for his cereal, so Ennis got the bowls and spoons, and the cereal and milk. He sat down two mugs from his collection, his "Doctor's Rock," and "Trust me I'm a Doctor," and poured them both hot coffee to the brim.

"I think we probably both need this," Ennis said as he poured.

"Smells good," Jack said. After looking at the mugs with an amused expression he said, "God, I feel rotten. Drank too much last night I guess." He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"I drank my share too," Ennis said sheepishly.

"You babysitting Junior today?"

"Yeah, I'm off work this week. Thursday's are Anna's day but..." he didn't finish his sentence.

They poured Honey Nut Cheerios and milk into their bowls, and suddenly a strange look came over Jack's face, and he looked as if he were thinking hard about something. After a few seconds Jack said, "Ennis, I had a weird dream."

Ennis looked at Jack, his eyes looked clear and blue. He looked real good considering his hangover and last night's accommodations. Ennis felt like time was standing still, and didn't know what to say. "Oh yeah?" was all he could get out.

"Yeah," Jack looked apprehensive, like he was searching for the right words. Finally he said, "I don't think it was a dream...Ennis, were we kissing last night?"

Ennis almost spit his coffee out. He should have known better than to take a drink at a time like that. There was no hiding from what had happened last night, so Ennis had no choice but to answer as best he could.

"Uh, well, you know we'd had a lot of beers to drink, both of us, and we were pretty well wasted, so yeah, I sorta remember kissing," he said seriously.

Jack smiled a half smile and looked like he was still thinking, but didn't say any more and just started eating his cereal as if what Ennis just said was no big deal.

Ennis debated keeping quiet and maybe the subject would be dropped and never come up again, but he really didn't see how that would be possible. He felt so awkward, and didn't want to feel that way around Jack, so was compelled to try and say more. He just didn't want to make things more uncomfortable, but he seemed to be the only one uncomfortable as Jack shoveled cereal into his mouth and drank his coffee. Maybe Jack knew it had been him who instigated the kiss. God, he hoped not, but it was pretty likely.

After a few seconds of silence except for Jack's crunching, Ennis went on, "Uh, Jack."

"Yeah?"

"I thought I should say sorry for what I did last night." Ennis felt the blush creeping up his neck, and his face felt like it was on fire.

"Well, Ennis, it does take two to kiss, so if you're gonna apologize, I should too."

"Yeah, but since I was the one who started it..." Shit, he felt stupid for bringing that part up. Why didn't he just keep his mouth shut and leave well enough alone? They'd both said sorry, why did he have to keep talking? His face continued to feel extremely warm.

Jack smiled slightly, and Ennis felt a little less embarrassed when Jack said, "We were both pretty drunk and it had been a hard day, don't worry about it." Jack's words said one thing, but his eyes had taken on a distant look that Ennis couldn't read.

"So, we're okay then?" Ennis asked.

"Sure, no problem. Maybe we'd better remember not to drink so much from now on." Jack smiled, and changed the subject. "Sorry for crashing on your floor, was Alma ticked off?"

"No, she didn't say anything."

The two finished their breakfast and tried to keep the conversation away from anything stressful or upsetting. Soon after they were finished Jack said that he'd be going, but told Ennis that if he needed anything at any time, not to hesitate to call.

After Jack drove away, Ennis went upstairs to see if Junior was ready to get up. He still had an uneasy feeling, like something just wasn't right. So much had happened that it was almost too much to comprehend. He felt like he needed to go back to bed and sleep for another eight hours, or have a drink. A drink was out of the question with him having to watch Junior, and so was a nap. Shit, what a day this was going to be.

_To Be Continued..._


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The coming days continued to get worse for Ennis. Brenda, Junior's nanny, was in on Friday, giving him the chance to take a breather from watching his daughter. That probably wasn't the best thing because he'd spent the day lazing around the house drinking. The fact that it was one week to the day of Keith's death weighed heavy on his mind. Ennis had kept to himself during the day so that Brenda wouldn't notice his drinking, but by evening when Alma got home, he knew she could tell how much he'd had, and she wasn't happy. When was Alma happy anyway he thought, and just drank more. That evening he fell asleep in the family room in front of the television. Alma didn't bother to wake him to go upstairs.

He didn't sleep well, and woke from disturbing dreams. He'd lie there thinking, then drift back into sleep. It got to where he couldn't tell if he was thinking or dreaming. He saw Keith smiling. He saw his uniform, badge, and gun and heard someone call out, "little brother." He heard the mournful cries of a woman. He tried to see who it was and couldn't, but when he heard Jim's voice saying not to cry, he knew it was Anna who was in so much pain. Thank God Jim was there to help her. He saw Alma's face all distorted, her lips pinched up, her eyes squinted, and although he couldn't make out her words, they sounded harsh and judgmental.

He felt like he was walking through a cloud. He saw the beach, felt the warmth of the sun, heard the waves, and there was Jack with bright blue smiling eyes, laughing, always laughing. That song running through his mind since the night they'd kissed was playing. _I__ don't__ know __why __I__ go __walking__ at __night,__ But__ now __I'm __tired __and__ I__ don't__ wanna__ walk__ anymore,__ Hope __it __doesn't __take __the__ rest __of__ my __life, __Until__ I __find__ what __it __is __I've__ been __looking __for,__ In __the__ middle__ of__ the__ night, __I__ go __walking __in __my__ sleep,__ Through__ the __jungle __of__ doubt,__ To__ the__ river__ so __deep, __I__ know __I'm__ searching __for__ something,__ Something__ so__ undefined,__ That__ it __can __only __be__ seen,__ By __the __eyes __of __the __blind._

Ennis wished that he could get it out of his head, but he couldn't, and he knew he'd have kissed Jack again right there in the kitchen the next morning if he'd have had the nerve. He spent a restless night on the sectional. First he was too cold, then too hot. Waves of nausea came and went, and the crazy disjointed thoughts and dreams.

The next morning he had one hell of a hangover. Through the fog, he saw his sorry excuse of a life, his brother taken away, and Jack...what was bothering him so deeply about Jack he wondered, and tried to focus. It made him feel dizzy and sick to admit that it was Jack that he wanted, not Alma and his sham of a marriage. It was Jack, and had been for a long time.

There had been several calls from Jack during the weekend, but Ennis didn't pick up either his cell or house phone, and didn't call Jack back. From his messages it hadn't appeared that he was calling about anything in particular, just to touch base.

Ennis didn't see Alma much all weekend and figured she was out shopping and getting ready for a new work week. His marriage was on a downward spiral. Alma didn't seem to notice or care that things were getting worse. She was throwing herself into her own work. She had made regional manager, and had trips coming up that she was excited about. Ennis basically drank and watched t.v. Come Sunday evening he put it all away and started getting into work mode, knowing he had to get back in the grove on Monday morning.

...

Ennis felt fairly well all things considered as he arrived at the office early that morning. With Alma working, and Brenda arriving to take care of Junior, he hadn't had the stress of talking with Alma before they left the house which suited him just fine.

Connie and the other girls in the office were like family. He enjoyed working with them so it was a welcome relief to get back to work. Looking back to the week before, he realized that he'd have been better off had he not taken any extra time off. He was anxious to fill his mind with his patient's problems and to drown out his own. He remembered that Jack had an appointment later in the week. He missed him and wanted to see him, and felt bad for not returning his calls, but he had just felt so overwhelmed.

The week went well until Wednesday, which was the day his office was closed and he was home. Brenda had Junior so Ennis had a few drinks, but kept it under control spending most of the day in his study doing paperwork. Jack had called Monday and they talked for a short time. Ennis asked how Lureen's trip had been, and other small talk.

When Thursday rolled around, Ennis found himself feeling slightly nervous. He almost felt like he did the first day he'd met Jack, which was stupid. He wished that he didn't have this feeling, but with some of the realizations he'd come to lately, he couldn't help it. He needed to pull himself together.

A secondary reason for him to feel out of sorts was Jack's condition had not improved as much as Ennis had hoped during the year that he'd been treating him. This bothered him both as a physician and as a friend. At times Ennis had thought that the treatment was on the right track, only to be met with setbacks telling them that it wasn't working after all. It had been frustrating. Now Ennis could see that the acupuncture wasn't doing the trick, so biofeedback would be the next option.

Jack strolled into the office at ten till two. "Good afternoon, Connie," he said with a smile.

"How are you, Jack?"

"Pretty good. You?"

"Just fine. You getting ready for that new baby to arrive?"

"Yeah, about five more weeks," Jack sighed.

"Well, don't sound so enthused." Connie laughed, "You're not having second thoughts about being a dad I hope."

Jack didn't say anything so Connie said, "Jack, I was just kidding."

"I know...sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind." Jack sat down to wait. It took longer than usual, but he was finally called in, and after having his vitals done by Mary, he was taken to Ennis' office.

"Jack," Ennis said, standing to shake hands.

"Hey, Ennis," Jack said, as he shook Ennis' hand.

Jack took a seat across from Ennis. Ennis felt tense and started by saying, "The acupuncturist can't do any more for you, so I'm going to set you up with a biofeedback therapist." He tried to sound upbeat and hopeful, and saw in Jack's eyes that he had confidence in him, so he was glad that he hadn't lost his touch as a doctor at least. They talked more about the migraines, the whole time not veering off the track of Jack's health. It was all very professional.

...

After Jack left the office, he felt uneasy. Ennis had given off vibes making it clear that the appointment was over so he'd left right away. Always before, they'd talk afterward about what they'd been doing and what not, but this time it was apparent that Ennis was ready for Jack to leave. He wondered if it was because Ennis was behind...or was there some other reason?

Jack decided to go to the gym. He felt stressed, and had to get rid of his nervous energy. His vigorous workout left him feeling less stressed and more relaxed, but still worried about Ennis...worried about their friendship.

Jack drove to the beach even though it meant that he'd be late getting home and Lureen would wonder where he was. He just didn't feel like going home. There was a cool breeze blowing on that spring day that was turning into evening. Luckily he had a light jacket in the Land Rover. He took a short walk and sat on some large rocks on the shore and watched the tide roll in. He felt alone and found that pretty pathetic considering that he had a wife, not to mention a baby nearly ready to be born. His marriage was just over four months old and it had sure passed the honeymoon phase, in fact, he didn't think that there ever was a honeymoon phase. Lureen seemed only interested in work, not their home and marriage, and he...well, he wasn't much interested in Lureen, and had to force himself to be interested in the baby that they'd soon bring into the world. He was scared of the future, scared of being a father, and of being a husband.

There was something else scaring him even more and had been for the past week, and even more since seeing Ennis at the office. He sat lost in thought, at times fighting back tears. Memories of the past came back. He had screwed things up royally before coming back to California. He needed to learn from his mistakes, not make the same ones again. He knew he'd messed up with Ennis the night they'd gotten drunk. That had to be it, Ennis was freaked out, but Jack wasn't, not at all. He should have acted differently the next morning, tried to reassure Ennis there was nothing wrong with what had happened, and been clearer as to how he felt. Jack at least needed to get their friendship back to where it was before the kiss. Whatever it took, he wasn't going to run away this time, or overreact to fears of his feelings. This time he needed to fight for what he wanted.

During the weeks leading up to the birth of the baby, he tried numerous times to set something up with Ennis, but between their schedules and balancing wives and obligations, it didn't work out. Jack felt more and more troubled about the situation, and could only hope that it would somehow improve. At least he and Ennis had talked on the phone and kept up with each other. Jack was glad when Ennis told him that he and Alma planned to be at the hospital when the baby was born.

...

On the morning of Saturday, May 20th, 2006, Jack called Ennis to let him know that Lureen was at the hospital in labor.

"I'll tell Alma and we'll get Junior over to Anna's and be there as soon as we can. It may take a couple hours."

"Okay, drive safe."

After hanging up, Jack called his parents, then Lureen's in Texas.

Jack's parents made it to the hospital just after the baby arrived. "Why didn't you call us sooner?" they asked. "Why'd you wait clear till you were at the hospital?"

"I didn't wanna wake anyone up before I needed to," Jack answered.

"Honey, you should have called immediately when you first knew she was going into labor. We wanted to be with you and be here," Denise said.

"But, Mom, that was 2:00 a.m.," Jack said in defense of his decision.

"Well, we're here now and that's what counts," John said, giving Jack's shoulder a squeeze. "We can't wait to see little Bobby."

"Did you get lots of pictures, honey?" Denise asked. "I see you've got your camera."

"Yeah, I probably took at least fifty so far. I'd have gotten more but Lureen made me promise not to take any...uh, unflattering pictures of her."

Ennis and Alma hurried down the corridor. Out of breath, Ennis started asking questions. "You mean the baby's here? How are mother and baby doing? How much did he weigh, how long is he?"

Jack noticed Ennis was grinning from ear to ear as if he was the father. Alma had a big smile as well. Jack answered all the questions that he could, and was anxious for everyone to see Bobby for themselves.

"Oh, Dad, Ennis, here's a cigar." Jack handed them both a blue banded cigar that said, "It's a boy!"

Alma pursed her lips and let her displeasure show as she said to Ennis, "I hate cigars and you aren't to smoke it."

Jack was taken aback, and could tell John and Denise were shocked also. Jack was on the verge of saying something to Alma, but thought better of it and let it go, but wasn't impressed at how she had talked to Ennis. He certainly didn't deserve to be talked down to.

Jack had a sly smile when John invited Ennis outside to a smoking area and Ennis followed. Alma shot daggers at both John and Ennis, and gave Jack a hard stare. She acted peeved for the rest of the time that she spent at the hospital, only brightening up when she visited with Lureen and saw the baby.

As they looked at Bobby through the nursery glass, everyone said what a handsome boy he was, and that he sure had a lot of dark hair, and wondered if his eyes would be blue.

"I think they will," said John. "He's the spittin' image of Jack when he was born. You see it too, don't you, Denise?" Denise agreed with a proud smile.

It warmed Jack's heart to see how excited his parents were about becoming grandparents. His mom had already put in her bid on wanting to do plenty of babysitting. He tried to push to the back of his mind the thought of Lureen's folks coming out to visit. They hadn't said anything yet, but he knew it was coming.

Ennis' staff membership at the hospital, plus the fact that the head nurse on duty knew him well, made it possible for all of them to visit Lureen at the same time.

The maternity nurse came in to ask if Lureen wanted to hold the baby. "Oh, you've got a room full of visitors. I'll bring him in later," she said. As she turned to leave she said, "Oh, Dr. Del Mar, I didn't see you at first. I guess it would be alright to bring the baby in for a few minutes." Shortly she was back with Bobby, and placed him into Lureen's arms.

Jack started to snap pictures and Denise said, "Let me get one of the three of you," and directed Jack to sit on the bed next to Lureen and Bobby. Then Jack held Bobby, and with John standing next to him, Denise took another picture. By the time they finished, there were pictures in every combination, even one with Ennis standing next to Jack with Bobby.

Lureen started to sound grumpy, and said to Jack, "I'll be looking at all of the pictures before any are approved for the album. Are you sure you refrained from taking any of me during the delivery?"

"I promised I wouldn't, so I didn't," Jack said, not as patient as he should have been.

It wasn't long until the nurse returned to take Bobby back to the nursery. Jack could tell Lureen was getting tired, but he knew she wanted to call her parents, so he helped her with the phone and then led everyone out of her room so that she could talk in private.

"Well, honey, we'd better go and let you be with Lureen in peace now. She's awfully tired and I'm sure you are too," Denise said as she patted Jack on the face.

"You about ready to go too?" Ennis asked Alma.

"Yeah, we'd better be on our way. Gotta pick Junior up at Anna's."

Jack could tell Alma was still miffed, and not able to help himself, stirred the pot and handed Ennis and his dad a few more cigars, ignoring Alma's icy glare. Ennis' lips turned up on the corners as he accepted them and put them into his pocket.

Before they left, Ennis gave Jack a hug and felt a physical reaction to the closeness of their bodies. He tried to ignore it, but knew it would be this way from now on, that passionate kiss forever seared into his memory. He was just going to have to deal with it the best he could. He had a fleeting thought that Jack may have had a reaction to the hug himself, but he wrote it off as his imagination playing tricks on him.

John and Denise hugged Jack too, and walked out with the Del Mar's, and left Jack to tend to his little family in the maternity ward.

_To Be Continued..._


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

A warm afternoon in early June found Ennis, Alma, and Junior on their way to visit the new baby. They hadn't seen him since the day that he entered the world, and they hadn't seen Jack and Lureen since then either. Ennis knew Alma was anxious to catch up with Lureen, and to introduce Junior to Bobby.

"It's high time that Junior starts meeting other children. She'll be two years old soon and she needs some friends," Alma said.

"Alma, Bobby's two weeks old," Ennis chuckled. "I don't know what kinda friends they'll be."

"But when he's one she'll be three...see, only a two year spread, kind of like a brother and sister."

When put that way, Ennis could see how it might work out, and it made him happy to picture his little girl and Jack's boy being playmates and friends in the future.

...

Jack and Lureen were ready for company. Jack had the house looking pretty fair considering the state it had been in for the past few weeks. Lureen said that there was no way to expect it to be cleaned up with a newborn in the house.

That must have meant no laundry was done besides baby clothes, because Jack was doing his own. Never mind any cooking; he was fending for himself, even having to grocery shop. His mom had offered to help out, but Jack didn't feel that it was her duty to clean and shop for them, so he was managing.

For as fussy as Lureen was about her appearance, or used to be, there were times when Jack didn't recognize his wife. Could that be the same girl in the red dress who he'd danced with last summer when they'd first met? More than once Jack looked closely in the mirror to see if he looked any different, and couldn't see anything about himself that caused the same kind of alarm as when he looked at Lureen. He'd been sleep deprived just like her.

Well, maybe he was being too hard on her. In preparation for their company, she had made an effort and put on something other than a baggy house dress, and had washed and curled her hair and put on make-up. Some days since Bobby's birth, she hadn't even bothered to put on a house dress, rather wore her same old maternity nightgown all day. Today she was in a skirt and top, but complained about not being able to get into any of her cute clothes, and Jack figured she was worried that she'd never be able to again.

Lureen had made fresh sun tea and had sent Jack to the bakery for cookies. He had picked out Snicker Doodles and Cappuccino Chocolate Chip. Bobby was dressed in a t-shirt that said "I Party Naked." Jack thought he was acting like he knew that company was coming. He looked happy, if that was possible, for a two week old. Jack hoped that Bobby would be awake for at least part of the visit.

When Ennis, Alma, and Junior arrived, they carried gifts with them. "What do we have here?" Jack asked with a smile as he greeted them.

"We've been shopping for the new baby and the new parents too," Alma said.

Ennis and Alma set the gifts down, said a quick hi to Lureen, and seemed more interested in seeing Bobby first thing, and watching what Junior would do when she saw him.

Jack looked at Lureen and said with a smile, "I hope you don't feel like chopped liver with all the attention being showered on Bobby and none on us."

Lureen smiled and joined the Del Mar's to show Bobby off.

Jack had his ever present camera handy and said, "I'll get pictures of Junior and Bobby if Junior isn't too scared to go near him."

Junior's first reaction made it clear that she wasn't sure what that creature was. Jack had to try hard not to laugh along with everyone else. Ennis carried her to Bobby's infant glider and held her to where she could get a good look. Bobby was awake and was giving some spontaneous smiles.

When Ennis saw Bobby he smiled, "He sure looks like you, bud." He chuckled under his breath, "I see you must shop for his clothes."

Junior was very cautious and reserved, but finally Jack coaxed her to reach out and touch Bobby. She quickly warmed up to him, and later Jack got some pictures of the two of them together.

Alma and Lureen chatted about babies. Alma answered lots of questions, and reminisced about Junior at Bobby's age. This topic quickly became boring to Jack so he served the tea and cookies with Ennis' help.

"Did you eat any of the raw cookie dough?" Ennis asked as he grinned at Jack.

"Unfortunately these came from Mary's Delicacies, or I sure would have," Jack said with a mischievous smile.

"So, how's it going?" Ennis asked, as they sat in one corner of the room away from their wives and kids.

"Oh, not too bad," Jack answered slowly.

After a bit of silence Jack said in a downtrodden voice, "L.D. and Fayette will be coming for a visit this summer." He was quiet for a few seconds before continuing. "I won't have to worry about it though because I won't be here." Jack ran his hand over his face.

"Is that good or bad? What do you mean anyway, about not being here?" Ennis asked with a little apprehension in his tone.

After a moment Jack went on to say, "I've got to be doing some traveling for a few months."

"Oh yeah? How long?"

"I'll be gone a couple months, then back for a week, and then gone again for probably a couple more months."

"Where?"

"Here, there, and everywhere," Jack said, as he glanced across the room at Bobby and Lureen. "Lureen's not too happy about it, but I gotta do it for my career. I hate the idea of leaving Bobby for so long when he's so young, but I guess that's better than leaving when he gets older, not that I might not have to then too, but anyway..."

"When are you leaving?"

"The end of this month...Lureen will be starting back to work later in the summer. She'll take Bobby with her most days. Mom will babysit on the days that it's not convenient for her to take him to the shop...then after I'm back in the fall, Lureen has plans to be doing some traveling of her own, buying trips and stuff."

"So then you'll have Bobby." Ennis said.

"Yeah. It will be time to get reacquainted with him by then. This is really a bad time for me to leave...I was hoping you and I would get to do some things together this summer, but with me being gone, I don't think we can make it happen."

"Maybe we can make some plans when you get back and make up for lost time."

"Yeah, I'm counting on it." Jack smiled, glad that he and Ennis had their friendship back on solid ground. Deep in his heart he wished that things could be different, that there could be more, but if friendship was all they could have, he'd have to accept that, and be happy with it.

Ennis and Jack sat quietly and finished their iced tea. Soon Alma said, "Join the party you two, there are gifts to be opened."

Bobby received a beautiful twenty four inch red wagon with "Welcome Wagon" printed in white on the side. Inside were a variety of goodies to welcome him - a keepsake photo album, giraffe picture frame, cuddly blue trimmed blanket adorned with sheep, a stuffed lamb, socks, towel, and burp cloth.

Junior danced around as the adults admired the gifts. "You'd think she picked this out for Bobby herself," Ennis laughed.

"Well, she did help," Alma said. Jack took pictures.

Even Jack and Lureen received gifts. For the new mother, a beautiful "bounce back" gift basket filled with anti-stress bath crystals, body lotion, a loofah and green tea sachets. "Why didn't I think of that," Jack said as he looked it over.

"Yes, why didn't you," Lureen said with her lip sticking out in a pout.

Jack let that slide and reached for his gift. Inside the gift bag was a black "Diaper Dude" bag complete with baby owner's manual. That got a laugh out of everyone. What got Ennis laughing the most though was the last gift, which was for both Jack and Lureen. It was two pillow cases, one with "On Duty" embroidered across it, and the other having "Off Duty" on it.

Ennis said, "I remember Alma and I taking turns getting up with Junior and figured it would be like that in this household, so I told Alma these would be perfect."

When it was time for the visit to end, Jack and Lureen walked their friends out. Jack said to Ennis, "I'll call you so we can get together before I leave."

Ennis answered, "Sure thing."

...

On the last Wednesday of June, Jack and Ennis had plans to go to the beach for lunch. On their way to the Santa Monica Pier Jack said, "I'd rather have gone out to Ventura but thought we'd better go someplace closer."

"This is fine," Ennis said.

It had been overcast earlier, but by late morning the sun was breaking through and it looked like it would be a nice day. Ennis tried not to show that he was in low spirits. He couldn't help but feel down, knowing Jack would be away for so long. Jack seemed upbeat and talked some about his trip and seemed pretty excited so Ennis was happy for him.

The first thing they did was head to a restaurant. Knowing Jack, Ennis wasn't surprised. Jack suggested "Bubba Gump Shrimp Co." Ennis knew that Jack was pretty familiar with the restaurants in the area because The Purple Butterfly was out that way.

As they walked toward the restaurant, Jack said, "Lureen is sure antsy about getting back to work."

"She sure works in a nice area," Ennis said.

"I'm leaving a couple days before her folks arrive," Jack smiled. "They're staying two weeks, and after that Lureen will start back to work."

They got a table right away and after scanning the menu for a few minutes, Ennis decided on Shrimp - stuffed with crab and baked in garlic butter, served with Jasmine Rice. Of course Jack ordered something that sounded unhealthy. It was called "Boat Trash," and was Deep Fried Shrimp, slipper lobster and mahi mahi dusted with Cajun spices and served with fries. Ennis held his tongue only saying, "Boat Trash, huh?" Jack smiled with a noticeable gleam in his eye.

They each ordered a beer, and before Ennis thought, he said, "I guess one beer would be okay."

That got a chuckle from Jack as he asked, "Are you sure, Ennis?"

What Jack was implying wasn't lost on Ennis and he felt the blush start up his neck as the night on his family room floor came into his mind. He shook his head and said, "Jaaaack."

"I didn't say anything, Ennis."

"Just keep it that way," he warned, trying not to smile. Ennis surprised himself at being able to look back and laugh about that incident now, glad their friendship had gotten back to normal.

They enjoyed their lunch and conversation. Jack filled Ennis in more on his itinerary, and they talked about the kids. Jack told Ennis the new things Bobby was up to and Ennis related stories about Junior.

When the waitress came around to ask if they wanted dessert, Ennis wasn't surprised when he saw Jack's eyes light up. "Jack, you're a bottomless pit," Ennis kidded. Ennis decided that he had a little room for some bread pudding, and Jack ordered what was called "Chocolate Cookie Sundae," which was a warm freshly baked chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel, chocolate and peanuts. Again, Ennis kept quiet after having decided quite awhile ago that Jack liked to enjoy his food so who was he to nag, that was a wife's job. It sure hadn't seemed to hurt his health, or the way his jeans fit him. That thought made Ennis stop short..._Out __of __the __blue, __Jack's __ass __is __on __my __mind. __Jack__ Fuckin' __Twist, __you're __sure __getting __under __my __skin. _He wondered how he was going to make it through the coming months with Jack gone.

After leaving Bubba Gump's, Jack suggested they check at Blazing Saddles, a bike rental shop, to see if they also rented rollerblades. "Are you up for taking a spin on blades if they rent them?" he asked.

"That would be a good idea to work off our lunch and dessert."

"Is there any time that you're not a doctor, Ennis?"

"Shit, I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

"That's okay, friend, I know you mean well, even if you are a little annoying."

It turned out that they were able to rent rollerblades and they enjoyed gliding around for an hour, with neither of them falling even once, although they had some near mishaps and ended up laughing nearly the whole hour.

By late afternoon the time had come to head back home. It had been a great day, and Ennis hated to see it end. It had been a long time since he'd had a day so good.

...

Jack drove Ennis home, and after they stopped in the driveway, he turned off the engine so that they could talk for a few more minutes.

"I'll look in on Bobby now and then while you're gone," Ennis said.

"Thanks, that would be good."

"Alma will be doing some traveling either late summer or in the fall. Seems I'm the only one who doesn't have plans to go anywhere."

"Do you ever go on vacations? You haven't since I've known you."

"There really hasn't been anywhere I've wanted to go that bad. I've been to about all the places I ever wanted to see. That was before I was married. Me and Alma aren't really on the same page as far as where we like to go."

"Yeah, I hear you. Lureen and I haven't been able to agree on a place that we'd like to go on a belated honeymoon. I think that it may be too late for a honeymoon anyway."

"I used to think that it's never too late. Now I'm not so sure," Ennis said, the unhappiness in his voice apparent to Jack.

Jack could see the sadness in Ennis' eyes and he felt a tiny glimmer of hope and wondered if someday maybe there could be more than friendship between them after all.

Ennis turned slightly toward Jack and placed his hand on the center console and said, "I want you to be careful on this trip. It's important."

Jack could see that Ennis' fingers were gripping the console and wondered if he had Keith on his mind. Jack placed his hand on top of Ennis', and to reassure him said, "I'll be careful, and I don't want you to worry."

Ennis turned his hand and their fingers came together and entwined. They sat that way for a few seconds. Ennis shyly said, "I'll miss you."

Jack suddenly felt very sad at the thought of not seeing Ennis for so long, and felt the need to leave before he got choked up so said, "I'll miss you too, Ennis."

Jack took his hand away and softly said, "I'll see you when I get back."

...

Ennis stood in the driveway and felt very much out of sorts as he watched Jack drive out of sight.

_Come__ back __to __me, __Jack.__ I'll __be __here._

_To Be Continued..._

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate :)_  
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	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The summer wasn't going well for Ennis. Alma complained constantly about the heat even though she had air conditioning in her car, and in every building she was in day and night. She never wanted to go anywhere or do anything because she was too tired from working. She hardly ever cooked a meal, using the excuse that it was too hot. It seemed like all she wanted to do was bitch. At times, especially when Ennis had had a little too much to drink, he pictured a witch in a black dress and pointed hat when Alma spoke. He'd pretty much learned to block out what she said anyway. It was just more of the same. She was annoyed that he was drinking, and heaven forbid if he smoked a cigar. He didn't care what she thought, but hoped that Junior wasn't hearing any of their harsh words.

Besides the normal things that had him feeling so miserable, he was dealing with another blow. Jim had been offered a position in Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic some months ago, and he and Anna had been seriously considering it. Ennis never really thought that Jim would take it, but he'd decided to so they would be leaving Los Angeles in the fall. It saddened him to think of not being able to see his sister any time he wanted to. She felt bad too, but this was best for Jim's career, so of course she was all for it. She hated to leave Junior, and reminded Ennis that she'd be just a plane ride away and that he could come to Minnesota for visits, and bring Junior along.

Jim and Anna had been to Rochester, Minnesota a couple of times to tour the hospital and to check out what was available in houses, condos, etc. Ennis knew that keeping busy with the move was a big help for Anna. It gave her something to think about rather than Keith, so it had come at a good time. He tried to be happy for her and Jim.

With his crappy marriage which was becoming more and more unbearable, Anna getting ready to leave and Keith being gone, it was harder and harder to continue on. And Jack...Ennis wasn't sure what part of Jack bothered him the most. Was it the fact that he'd been gone a couple of months, or the thoughts of himself and Jack that found their way into his dreams so many nights, and more and more, his waking thoughts too. They had become increasingly sexual in nature and sometimes he felt as if he was losing his mind. Junior's presence in his life was the only thing that he was able to hang on to and retain his sanity.

Ennis felt downright depressed as he thought about the state of his family. At least he still had his work. He had been able to pull himself together and do his job even though on his off time, he had let himself go. During those times the same thoughts kept coming back to him. Keith's death, Alma and he barely able to tolerate each other, and his sister and Jim were leaving. Jack was gallivanting all over the world. Jack...it always came back to Jack.

...

Jack's few days home the end of August flew by. He had jet lag but couldn't let that slow him down. He was back for a week and had things he had to do before he flew out again. He absolutely could not believe it when Lureen informed him that she expected him to take care of Bobby while he was home. She said she knew he'd want to have lots of time with his son after not having seen him for two whole months.

He never imagined how Bobby would change in the time he'd been away. He felt like he'd missed so much. He understood that Lureen needed a break, and sure, he did want to see Bobby and spend time with him, but having to go on errands with a three month old was too much.

On top of that, one day he'd had a migraine and still had to babysit. That day was shot, staying home all day, not able to rest because he had to cater to Bobby. By some miracle his headache had just lasted that one day, and Bobby had been extra good, like he somehow knew he needed to be.

He'd hardly seen Lureen between her work and whatever she did on her off time, which sure wasn't housework. The place probably hadn't been cleaned since her folks had visited. They would have to get someone to come in and clean, and maybe take care of Bobby too, although Lureen said it was working out taking him with her to the shop. Well, if it was, why did she stick him with babysitting duty?

He resorted to taking Bobby to his mom's on his last day home. He needed to touch base with her anyway. That day, after he dropped Bobby off, he would finally be able to go visit Ennis in peace.

Jack was concerned about Ennis because Alma had told Lureen that he'd been drinking and that she was pissed off and worried. At least Lureen had seen fit to pass that bit of information along in one of their brief conversations. Jack was disgusted that he'd had to wait until the last day to see Ennis. It was Sunday and he'd fly out the next day. He wondered if Alma would be home, and hoped not.

He had dialed the phone and when Ennis answered his voice sounded strange. Jack got the impression that he wasn't even glad to hear from him. He gathered that Ennis had had a few by the way that he talked. Jack found out that Alma and Junior weren't home, and told Ennis that he was on his way over. Jack felt like Ennis was trying to talk him out of coming, but Jack would have none of that.

...

Jack became nervous on the drive to Ennis'. He had thought that Alma had exaggerated about Ennis' drinking, but now he wasn't so sure. As he pulled into the driveway he felt more nervous and tense. He tried to massage the back of his neck before he got out of the Land Rover. He hadn't liked the way Ennis sounded on the phone, and wasn't sure what to expect.

Jack rang the door bell several times and felt annoyed because Ennis expected him, why wasn't he opening the damn door? Jack could feel himself getting more impatient. He'd had a stressful few days home and wasn't his usual easygoing self. Finally the door opened. Ennis didn't look good at all. His eyes were blood shot and it appeared that he hadn't shaved in days. He looked tired and was unsteady on his feet. It was no wonder it had taken him so long to get to the door.

"Jesus, Ennis, you look terrible." Jack wished that he hadn't said that the minute it left his lips, but it was the truth. He was shocked at Ennis' appearance.

"Thanks, good to see you too," Ennis said gruffly.

Ennis just stood there as he looked at Jack, so Jack finally said, "Mind if I come in?"

Ennis stepped aside but showed no enthusiasm. Jack walked past, and they stood in the entryway. Jack waited for a sign that Ennis was going to invite him in to sit down and talk, but when that didn't happen, Jack said, "Maybe I should make us some coffee."

"Why, you think I need to sober up or something?" Ennis scowled.

"That might not be a bad idea, friend."

"Yeah well, shows what you know. I'm not drunk, and even if I was, it's none of your damn business, Mister-flying-around-the-world-famous-photographer." It was apparent that Ennis had a little trouble getting all of the words out clearly.

Jack had no idea where that came from, but chalked it up to the booze. He forged on. "I'm gonna go into the kitchen and fix us some coffee since you've forgotten how to be a good host. I won't hold it against you though. I know I haven't called or sent any postcards since I've been gone. I should have been in touch."

Jack headed toward the kitchen and Ennis followed. He proceeded to look for the can of coffee, and he found it without too much difficulty and set up the coffee maker to brew. He sat down in a chair at the table across from Ennis. He placed his elbow on the table with his chin in his hand and stared at Ennis who had his eyes cast down to the table. Jack stayed silent and waited. Pretty soon Ennis glanced up and looked at him.

Ennis squirmed in his chair under the gaze of Jack's blue eyes. Jack's stare seemed to anger him as he shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he spit out, "What are you lookin' at?"

"Just waiting for you to say something," Jack said.

"No you weren't, you were sitting there judging me, that's what you were doing," Ennis said with hostility in his voice.

"Ennis, that's not what I was doing...I'm concerned, that's all. I've never seen you like this."

"Like what? It's my day off. I'm entitled to relax a little, aren't I?"

"Sure, but I hear you been relaxing a lot lately. More than you should in fact."

That got a bad reaction out of Ennis. His eyes looked like black pools as he spit out, "I suppose you been talking to Alma, haven't you?"

"No, haven't seen or talked with Alma since I've been back in town."

"Who then? Oh, I get it, your pretty little wife. She knows it all, doesn't she? Alma and her, thick as thieves, telling each other things they should keep to themselves...Shit."

By then the coffee was ready so Jack reached for two of Ennis' doctor mugs and poured some strong black coffee. He found spoons, and got some sugar and milk for his, making himself at home since Ennis was in no shape to be hospitable.

"Sorry I don't have any cookies or cake for you, I know how much you like sweets," Ennis said. Jack wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or if he really wished that he had something to offer him.

They drank their coffee in silence, and Jack considered what to say. It tore him apart to see Ennis this way, not knowing how he could help him. The thought of leaving the next day troubled him, but he had no choice but to fulfill the remainder of his obligation for this job. He'd give anything to be there for Ennis, but Ennis didn't even seem to want him there anyway, which on one hand hurt, and on the other hand made him angry. He was worried and extremely concerned. He didn't know how much he could say that would get through to Ennis with him in that state, but he felt that he had to try.

He caught Ennis' eye and said sternly, "Friend, I have to leave tomorrow and won't be back till November. When I get back we're gonna get together. I expect to see that you've pulled yourself out of the state you're in and gotten your fuckin' act together so that we can talk."

"That so?" Ennis said, in a tone that told Jack that he didn't give a fuck.

Jack got up and walked around the table to Ennis, bent down to his eye level and placed his hands on his shoulders. He tightened his grip as he looked into his eyes, kneeled down and said, "Ennis, I don't know what all has been going on with you. I wish I did. I wish you could tell me, but you're too drunk for me to get any sense out of right now. I suspect you're not happy in your marriage. I know you miss Keith, and maybe there's more that I don't know about, but whatever it is, I can tell you from experience that drinking is only gonna make things worse. No good will come of the path you're on. Ennis, for your sake, for your little girl's, even for my sake, promise me you're gonna stop this and that by the time I get back I'll see the old Ennis again, my best friend who I need more than you know cause I got problems of my own and I need someone to talk to just like you do. We've always been that person for each other. I want that again. Promise me you'll do it, if not for yourself, than for me...Ennis, look at me and promise me this."

Jack's eyes didn't leave Ennis', and Ennis didn't flinch. Ennis' eyes were nearly glazed over when he choked out, "Okay, Jack, I'll try."

They both had tears in their eyes as they embraced. Jack held Ennis tightly until he had no choice but to leave. He hated to leave Ennis but had to put his faith in him that he'd find a way to straighten himself up and be his old self again.

"November, friend, I'll see you in November," Jack said firmly as he left Ennis sitting in the kitchen.

...

Monday morning, as Ennis stood in front of the mirror shaving, he couldn't believe that he'd let himself drink so late the night before. Previously, he'd been able to put it aside by Sunday evening, but not last night. He drank until after midnight and was paying the price this morning. He'd been so damn tempted to call in sick, but remembered that he didn't have any patients until after lunch and it would just be him and Connie in the office so he'd decided that he could make it through the morning. He should feel as good as new by afternoon. Yeah right, he thought. But he was determined to get his ass into the office and tend to business. He was not going to let his practice suffer.

Connie gave Ennis a brief, "Good morning," when he entered the office. He noticed that she quickly left her desk and headed for the breakroom. It wasn't long before she was in his office with a cup of strong black coffee. She paused at the door before leaving, and he had the impression that she was going to say something, but she left the room without saying anything.

As Ennis worked at his desk, he wished he'd have brought this paper work home on Friday, but it was better that he hadn't because this way he was forced to get himself out among people and into the office. He just hoped that he didn't look as bad as he felt, but by the way Connie had looked at him, he was afraid that he did.

Sometime before lunch break, Connie knocked at the door and cracked it open to ask if he was up to sharing lunch with her. She offered to get something to bring in, his choice, it was on her. He looked up from his work at her friendly smile, and couldn't resist agreeing to lunch. By then he was pretty hungry and felt a lot better.

As Connie set the lunch on the desk, she cleared her throat and said, "Dr. Del Mar, I hope you know that I'm here for you if you need to talk."

Ennis didn't know what to say, and realized that it had indeed been evident that he wasn't himself.

"I hope I'm not overstepping, but I'm worried about you. Don't get me wrong, I know there are reasons why you'd not be feeling like yourself. It's alright, it's normal to need time after losing someone who was so close to you. It takes time to work through grief."

"I'm okay, Connie."

"You didn't look okay this morning," she said with a solemn face.

Ennis looked down and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. If you want me to be quiet I will."

That got a slight smile from Ennis. "I don't want you to be quiet, Connie."

"I know things weren't perfect between you and Keith, but not many relationships are, especially between siblings. I hope you aren't being hard on yourself because of that. Regret is a bitter pill to swallow."

Ennis sat quietly, and felt uncomfortable, and was relieved when Connie changed the subject.

"Well, let's eat before it gets cold," she said in an upbeat tone.

"Sounds good to me, what have we got?"

As Ennis ate the turkey breast wrap and vegetable beef soup from Subway, he listened intently as Connie filled him in on what had been going on in her life lately. Between bites of her grilled chicken breast and baby spinach salad, she chatted about her husband, Rob, among other things. She had been spending a lot of her off time attending her ten year old niece's softball games. The girl would be playing in school when it started up in a couple weeks. Her eyes lit up as she spoke about her niece. Ennis enjoyed the conversation, and thought about Junior and wondered if she'd play sports when she was old enough to be in school. He was actually thinking about the future, something he hadn't done in weeks.

As they finished their lunch, they heard Wendy arrive for her afternoon shift, and very shortly, Cassie joined her. Ennis thought about his practice, his patients, and his employees who were also his friends. His second family, that's what they were to him. He realized that no matter what personal problems he had to deal with, he absolutely could not let it interfere with his work. Too many people depended on him. What could he have been thinking to let his drinking get out of control like it had? Jack was right; he was going to have to pull himself together.

As the day went on, when Ennis had time to think, his thoughts turned to Jack, and he wondered if he'd had a safe flight, and hoped that he would be well while he was away. He felt bad about how he'd treated him the day before. How could he have talked to Jack like he had? It was totally uncalled for. Jack just wanted to help. He remembered the promise he'd made to Jack that he'd try and stop his foolishness. He felt the only way to go was up, and by the time that he left the office that day he had a new outlook on life. He was going to do it for his second family, but more importantly he was going to do it for Jack. He would do anything for Jack.

_To Be Continued..._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Toward the end of Jack's trip, he sent Ennis a postcard of a Hawaiian beach. The water looked turquoise, and the sky was bright blue with big white fluffy clouds. It read: _Remember__ I'm __due __home__ soon__ and __we're __getting __together __like__ old__ times._ _Call__ you __when __I'm__ back.__ Jack_

It was mid November, and Jack was extremely glad to be back in L.A. He had a lot to catch up on. Even though he expected Bobby to have grown by leaps and bounds, it still shocked him when he saw his son. He was nearly six months old, and was a big boy, at least double the size he'd been when he was born. His eyes were blue and his hair dark. Jack's parents called him "A little Jack."

Jack eagerly greeted his boy, and Bobby seemed to remember him, or was at least excited to see a friendly human coming toward him. He showed his excitement by rattling off a bunch of sounds, smiling and reaching like he was tickled to see Jack. At least that's what Jack wanted to believe, especially since his own wife hadn't shown much interest in his return. She barely asked him how he was doing, and was preoccupied when he told her a few things about the work he'd been doing. It wasn't as if Jack was any more interested in Lureen, so in his mind, they were even.

Jack was exhausted, but called Ennis, hopefully to set up a date for them to get together. He hadn't heard a word from, or about Ennis, so hoped no news was good news as he dialed the number. He was tense as he waited for Ennis to pick up and gazed at the fish in the aquarium while waiting, trying to calm his nerves. Luckily Lureen saw fit to feed them while he was away.

After he heard a familiar, "Hey, bud," Jack could tell right away that Ennis sounded like his old self, and breathed a sign of relief. He'd rehearsed what he was going to say, so charged ahead.

"Hey there, Ennis...it's me, I'm back, and was wondering if you're free Wednesday so we can get together and catch up?"

Ennis sounded happy to hear from him, and said, "I'd like that, but I've got Junior Wednesday. Brenda had to have the day off and Anna and Jim moved to Minnesota."

"Moved to Minnesota?" Jack said with surprise evident in his voice.

"Yeah," Ennis sighed. "Jim had a great offer from the Mayo Clinic, so they left in October. Anna's been busy getting settled in. Jim loves the hospital."

"You miss them," Jack said, a statement rather than a question.

"Yeah, but life goes on, and I'll be going to visit one of these days."

After they got caught up, Jack said, "About Wednesday, go ahead and bring Junior, I'll bring Bobby, it'll be fun."

"O.k., if you're sure."

"Yeah, I even have an idea of something we can do. I'll pick you up at ten. Bring jackets. We'll be outdoors part of the day." Jack hung up, relieved at how Ennis sounded, and thinking over what he had in mind for Wednesday.

Lureen begrudgingly took Bobby to work the next day so Jack could take care of some business unhindered. While he was out, he made a little side trip to pick up something he, Ennis, and the kids were going to need when they got together the next day.

...

It was going to be a great day; Jack could feel it. It was sunny and heading to sixty-five degrees. Jack had Bobby dressed in his Guess jeans, and a gray t-shirt with black trim that said "Chicks Dig Me" across the front. He had a gray hoodie to take along for him. He'd packed the "Diaper Dude" bag, and had plenty of formula and baby food. He also made sure not to forget the baby pouch-sling so he could carry Bobby hands free. He had everything they were going to need. He hid the surprise in the back of the Land Rover so Ennis and Junior wouldn't see it ahead of time.

When Jack pulled up to Ennis' house, he and Junior were standing in the driveway with the car seat, so Jack and Ennis made short order getting it placed into the Land Rover so Junior and Bobby were both set for their ride. Junior was excited, hardly able to contain herself. She had only seen Bobby once or twice since that first day. Jack said they were going to be seeing a lot more of each other from now on. He was extremely pleased how good Ennis looked. It was great seeing him.

They exchanged small talk, and then climbed into the Land Rover to get on their way.

"Well, you gonna tell me where we're headed?" Ennis said, as Jack started driving.

"We're going to the beach, where else?" Jack grinned.

Ennis smiled and said to Junior, "You wanna go see the ocean, darlin'?"

"YES! YES!" she shouted. Bobby made some happy sounds and was looking around taking everything in. Junior had only been to the ocean a few times, and never for long as it wasn't one of Alma's favorite places to go. The traffic was light, and in a short while they arrived. When they got parked Jack said they'd play for awhile and then have lunch.

"We're gonna play, huh?" Ennis said, wondering what Jack had in mind.

"I brought something to play with. It's in the back there." Jack motioned to the back of the SUV.

"Let me get Bobby situated in his sling carrier first." Jack put Bobby in, facing forward on his chest, so he'd be able to see all the activity.

"Junior can help me get our toy out. You wanna help me, sweetheart?"

"YES!" she shouted.

Ennis loved how happy she was, always in a good mood, sort of like Jack. It was sure refreshing, considering Alma's disposition.

They walked to the back of the Land Rover and there under a sheet, Jack revealed the biggest, brightest kite Ennis had ever seen.

"We're gonna fly a kite?" he said very surprised.

"Sure are," Jack said with a mischievous smile. He looked like a little boy.

Ennis' heart swelled, he hadn't been this happy in months, here at the beach with his little girl, Bobby and Jack. It seemed right.

"Do you even know how to fly a kite, cause I don't think I do. What kinda kite do you call this? It looks pretty fancy, bud." Ennis felt apprehensive. He didn't want Jack and the kids disappointed if they couldn't get the thing up in the sky. And even worse, could just picture it crashing to the ground and getting destroyed.

"I think it's called a Delta," Jack said. "Isn't it beautiful?" Jack was still wearing a smile ear to ear.

A gentle, warm breeze was blowing, perfect for kite flying, and Jack could see that Junior was getting impatient. "Let's get this show on the road!"

They all walked along the sand looking for a good place to begin. It was mid week and late in the fall, so the beach wasn't crowded at all, so they had plenty of space to play. Jack took charge of the situation since it had been his idea.

"First let's see which way is downwind," he said turning in circles. "O.k., here...you take the kite and go down that way, Ennis." Ennis and Junior started off in the direction Jack pointed. "Keep going, going, going," Jack said in a raised voice so he could be heard, as he let the kite string out. "O.k., that's far enough," Jack shouted. "Point the head of the kite toward the sky!"

"The head? What part is that?" Ennis yelled back, as he turned the kite different directions, looking confused.

"There you go! That's right," Jack yelled out when Ennis had it facing the right way. "Now when the wind catches it, let it go!"

Ennis could feel the wind trying to take the kite out of his hands. He wasn't sure but followed Jack's instructions. He was apprehensive to let the thing go, but did it anyway, and as he did, Jack brought the line in with long steady pulls. Then as the kite started upward, he let out some more line till it was up in the sky flying like a charm.

"See! I told you we could fly a kite! No problem!"

Junior was jumping like a jack-in-the-box, squealing at the top of her lungs, and it was a toss up as to who was more excited, Junior or Jack. Their excitement quickly rubbed off on Ennis making him feel young and alive as he watched the kite fly high up in the sky. It was beautiful.

"Wow, I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you," Ennis said as he picked Junior up and they all watched their beautiful kite fly proudly in the sky.

"There's no end to my talent," Jack said smugly. They flew the kite till they got tired and then had to figure out how to bring it down.

"How the hell did you ever learn to fly a kite like that?" Ennis asked, as he watched Jack skillfully bring the kite down.

"I guess I just have natural talent," Jack said chuckling, not giving up any secrets.

Bobby was still wide awake looking all around, and Junior was still full of energy. Jack and Ennis got the kite squared away and then walked to the Land Rover to pack it away till the next time

"Jesus, I think I need to give this little guy some attention," Jack said, as Bobby made everyone aware that he needed changing.

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea," Ennis said. He and Junior stepped back, upwind, so Jack could get on with his chore. Jack got the gear out on the seat and proceeded to try and get Bobby into a new diaper. When he started to remove the dirty one he stepped back as if he'd been punched in the nose.

"God Almighty!" was what came out of his mouth, and from the look on his face, there was no mistaking how appalled he was.

"Jack, watch your mouth, there's a child here," Ennis said, trying to hide his amusement at the situation. "Just think how Bobby feels, a lot worse than you do." Ennis was chuckling now.

"God, this is awful," Jack said as he tried to begin his job. "I think I'm gonna puke."

Ennis hurried over to help, and said, "For Christ sake, Jack, is this the first time you've changed a diaper? Here, let me do it if you're too sensitive. Wouldn't want to risk you fainting or nothin'. Step back, go stand by Junior." Ennis was taking great pleasure needling Jack, and laughing under his breath.

Ennis got Bobby cleaned up and in a clean diaper in record time. "See, that's how it's done. Hope you were paying attention," he smirked.

"Another reason I could never have made it as a doctor," Jack responded.

"Well, if you're gonna make it as a daddy, you're gonna have to get used to this."

"Actually, I've done it before, but that was extra gross. Jesus, Ennis."

"Yeah, yeah. You just need to toughen up. Next thing you're gonna say is it ruined your appetite, huh? You can't even eat lunch now?"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far."

Ennis shook his head laughing, "Somehow I thought that would be your answer."

They started out walking, the warm sun shinning down on them, anxious to see what they could find for lunch. They ended up at Harbor Grill, a small restaurant at an amusement park for kids on the Santa Monica pier called Pacific Park. Jack fed Bobby some formula and baby food while Ennis bought their lunch. Junior had a hot dog, Ennis had a chicken sandwich and onion rings, and Jack had a hamburger and fries. Junior looked a little antsy as she took in all the activities for kids near where they ate and Ennis knew she'd enjoy playing some of the games.

After finishing lunch Ennis said, "Come on, Uncle Jack, let's take the kids to play."

Ennis helped Junior play "fishy fishy" while Jack and Bobby looked on, and then Ennis tried his hand at "Coastline Cat Rack," where he tried to knock down standing props off their paws in order to win a prize. He managed to win Junior a small stuffed animal, a raccoon, and she was thrilled. He tried his luck again and won Bobby a little stuffed bear. Bobby was delighted. Jack and Ennis talked about Bobby getting older, how much fun the kids would have. They could also someday ride the carousel and ferris wheel.

"I can just see Junior up on that ferris wheel when she gets old enough," Ennis said. "She'll be waving her hands yelling 'look at me.' She's a lot more adventurous than Alma and me put together. She's fearless is what she is."

"You'll have your hands full when she gets older, friend."

"Don't remind me," Ennis said with a smile.

It was getting late and was time to get home, so they headed back to the parking lot. Ennis carried Junior part of the way because she had run out of steam. On the drive home, Junior and Bobby fell sound asleep, so Jack and Ennis had a chance for some adult conversation.

Jack glanced at Ennis with a smile that lit up everything around him.

"What?" Ennis asked.

"Just real glad to see you lookin' so good."

"Yeah, well, you don't look so bad yourself. Got yourself a tan on those Hawaiian beaches I see."

After a few seconds of silence, Jack could tell Ennis was uncomfortable as he went on, "Guess I owe you an apology for how I acted the last time we saw each other."

"Don't worry about it, it's forgotten...Now if you'd still been in that shape when I got back, well..." Jack smiled.

Ennis laughed slightly and said, "I'm glad I didn't have to find out what would have happened. From what I recall you were pretty annoyed with me as it was that day in my kitchen."

"Seriously, Ennis, I'm real glad you pulled yourself out of that depression, or funk, whatever it was you were going through."

"Yeah, well, having to be responsible for Junior while Alma went on a couple trips helped me get my head on straight. I'd already pretty much gotten my head outta my ass and threw away the booze before that, and getting a break from Alma, just being with Junior, it helped tremendously."

Jack nodded his understanding, "Glad to hear it, friend."

Ennis hadn't felt this good in a very long time. Sure, he had lost a lot, but could clearly see that he had a lot to be grateful for too, not the least was his friendship with this crazy man, Jack Twist. It had been a lucky day when Jack had walked into his office. He hoped he gave Jack even half of what he'd gotten from him. He knew he felt a strong attraction to Jack, more than just friendship. He wasn't sure what it all meant, or what to do with it, but would keep it to himself for now.

_To Be Continued..._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The holidays had a way of creeping up and that's the way it was this year, with Thanksgiving coming and going, and then Christmas - Bobby's first. Jack's parents had a ball spoiling their only grandchild, and Jack and Lureen did a pretty good job of it too. His other set of grandparents were itching to see their grandson so Lureen had made plans to take Bobby to visit over New Year's. They left December 29th for a week.

Jack's parents had planned a New Year's Eve party at their house and Jack was invited as well as Ennis. Alma and Junior had gone away for New Year's to an employee retreat in Vail, Colorado sponsored by Alma's company. It was for employees and their families, and she'd wanted Ennis to go but he refused to take even two days away from his practice. Alma had been livid, screaming that he just didn't want to go anywhere with her, that it wasn't about having to close the office. Ennis knew it was true, but insisted he wasn't taking time off.

On New Year's Eve Jack picked Ennis up to drive out to his folk's place. When Ennis got in the Land Rover Jack asked if they should have a change of plans and go someplace else but Ennis told him his mom and dad were expecting them and it would be rude not to show up.

"But Aunt Betty will be there," Jack groaned.

"I'm sure you knew that when you accepted the invitation," Ennis smiled.

"I must have been feeling better able to cope that day," Jack said.

"Come on, it won't be that bad. Besides, now that your dad and you get on better, maybe your aunt has changed her attitude."

"That'll be the day."

As Jack drove, Ennis looked over and his stare lasted long enough for Jack to notice he was being observed so he asked what was up. Ennis said, "What happened, didn't you have time to shave?"

With a sparkle in his eye, Jack said, "I want to annoy Aunt Betty."

Ennis smiled and shook his head. Jack never disappointed him, always doing something to entertain.

When they arrived, most of the guests were there already. Harold and Betty, Daphne and Bruce, people Jack's dad worked with, along with some of their families, and people his mom knew from her charity work.

"Tell me again why we're here," Jack whispered.

Ennis smiled and took an hors d' oeuvre from the tray that was passing by, and grabbed one for Jack saying, "Here, this will make you feel better. Now let's get something to drink so we can quench our thirst."

Jack was spotted by Harold right away, and he came to greet them.

"Where's your lovely wife, Harold?" Ennis asked, inquiring about Betty to needle Jack.

"Oh, she's been connected at the hip to my aunt Mable who's been visiting us from Florida through the holidays. We had her come out here this year instead of us going there. The old gal is 96 years young, lives alone, can still travel alone. She's hard of hearing, but has no major health problems and her mind's sharp as a tack. She's amazing. She and Betty have always gotten on well, so Betty's enjoying having her here. Maybe she'll stay out of your hair tonight, Jack." As Harold said that he poked Jack in the ribs with his elbow and patted him on the back as he wandered away saying, "See you later, boys."

Jack gave Ennis a look letting him know he'd been successful in getting to him about Betty. That made a small smile tug at Ennis' lips.

Daphne and Bruce said hello, and several of John's colleagues greeted them.

"I hope the food is at least good because this party is pretty stuffy," Jack said with a distracted look on his face.

Jack's mom came up to them, giving Jack a big hug. "I'm so sorry Lureen and Bobby aren't here...and Alma and Junior too," she said as she patted Ennis on the arm. "I hope you two enjoy yourselves. Eat plenty!" she said as she hurried off.

"Speaking of eating, I'm getting hungry."

"What else is new?"

John was across the room talking with friends and gave Jack a little wave. Jack waved back and smiled. Bruce came by again and asked Ennis a medical question. John motioned for Jack to come join him so he left Ennis and Bruce to their conversation and went to talk with his dad.

After Bruce left, Ennis was by himself, and he zeroed in on Jack talking with John. He liked what he saw and had to admit, that even with the teasing he thought Jack looked good with the stubble. And he looked especially handsome tonight in the blue shirt that matched his eyes. Ennis realized he was doing it again, thinking thoughts about Jack that were way out in left field. He was going to have to rein that in...again.

The catered hot and cold buffet was very elaborate, and Ennis realized he was as hungry as Jack when he saw the food. They started filling their plates with the many choices offered - Roast Lamb with Minted Glaze, Roast Chicken with Herbed Jus, Crispy Roast Potatoes, pasta, vegetables, assorted cold meats with chutney and mustard, Chef Salad, assorted breads, Fresh Fruit Salad and Chantilly Cream, cheeses, dried fruits and nuts.

Jack and Ennis sat together at a small table in a corner of the room near the Christmas tree. Jack's mom was a short distance away sitting with Betty and Mable. Jack noticed that Mable was staring in their direction as if she was thinking hard about something.

Pretty soon he overheard her say, "Are those two handsome young men a couple?"

It was obvious to Jack that Betty hadn't recognized them when she said, "I don't know, why?"

"Well, I saw them arrive together and they've been together all evening, and they make such a charming pair, I just wondered if they were married, this being California, I figure people out here do that sort of thing."

Jack had to fight the urge to smile when he heard his mom say, "Betty...that's Jack over there, and Dr. Del Mar! Don't you recognize them?"

As Jack watched them from the corner of his eye, he could tell that Betty looked confused when she said, "Oh dear, no, I had no idea that was Jack! He looks different. Are you sure that's him? I think you're mistaken."

"Of course I'm sure, and don't you recognize Dr. Del Mar?"

Mable piped up, "Well, are they married?"

"No...I mean yes, but not to each other!"

Jack continued to listen as Denise tried to explain, and could tell that trying to make it clear to a hard of hearing ninety six year old wasn't easy, and it seemed that Betty was becoming hard to reason with after having had a couple drinks. It was next to impossible to convince her that was Jack.

"We'll have to look at their fingers and see if they have rings on," Betty said to Mable.

"For heavens sake, Betty...that's my son Jack...and Dr. Del Mar. Don't you recognize your own nephew?"

"Well, he was always clean shaven before, it changes his whole appearance!"

Jack couldn't help but snicker. He glanced at Ennis who was concentrating on his food and didn't appear to be aware of the ladies conversation.

The chatter continued, "But Dr. Del Mar looks the same," Denise said.

"Oh...usually he's in a white coat when I see him," Betty said.

"Is he a chef? Did he cook all this delicious food?" asked Mable.

"No, he's a doctor...Doctor Del Mar."

"So they aren't a couple then?" Mable said. "They would make a very lovely couple."

Jack watched as his mom shook her head. The night went on with everyone drinking, visiting and looking forward to ringing in the New Year. Jack finally sucked it up and went over to say hello to Betty, that crazy conversation still ringing in his head, wondering if he could keep a straight face. He waited until Harold was with her so he could be a shock-absorber, and it didn't turn out too bad. Maybe it was like Ennis had said, since his dad wasn't complaining about him as much anymore, maybe his aunt was less inclined to be so cold and unpleasant. Betty had commented that he didn't look like himself, so she reached up to touch his chin and lip. Jack smiled.

Harold took Jack over to introduce him to Mable. Jack had met her many years before, but barely remembered her as he was probably a teen the last time he had seen her. He used his charm on her in that way he had and she seemed very impressed. He chatted with her for a few more minutes and when he turned to leave, she told him to say hello to his friend and gave him a wink.

After dinner Jack noticed that Ennis had been drinking quite a bit and was feeling it, so he started drinking non-alcoholic ones instead because he wanted to be able to drive them home. When it got to be a few minutes before midnight, everyone got ready to start the countdown. As the clock struck midnight, Jack found himself blowing his noisemaker, clapping and yelling, "Happy 2007!" He had no one to kiss this year, but then his mother ran over and gave him

a big kiss so all was not lost. Ennis though didn't get kissed, but he wasn't in much of a state to notice. Jack knew it was going to be fun getting him home.

...

Ennis was able to walk fairly well, so got into the Land Rover under his own power. Jack fastened the seat belt for him so he could be sure it was on properly. "Looks like someone enjoyed the party," Jack said, giving Ennis an amused look, but wondered what Ennis had been thinking to get himself into this state. This was the first New Year's Eve he'd ever spent with Ennis so he really didn't know if this was normal for him to drink so much on this night. Jack would have drank more, too, if he hadn't had to drive home. His mom said they could stay out there if they needed to, but Jack wanted to get back. Ennis mostly slept on the drive home.

As they got closer to their neighborhood, Jack decided to bring Ennis to his place. In Ennis' condition, it would be faster and easier on all concerned. Jack was pretty tired as he parked the Land Rover and went around to Ennis' door, waking him and helping him get out. Jack had to support him as they staggered to the front door. The cool air seemed to help wake Ennis and by the time they were inside, he was standing on his own and conversing some. He was confused as to where he was, so Jack explained they were going to spend the night at Jack's.

"Oh, a camp out," Ennis slurred, with a silly smile on his face.

"Something like that, but without the tent and sleeping bags."

Jack wondered if Ennis could get up the stairs and considered letting him crash on the couch, but decided that wouldn't be very hospitable so had planned on taking Ennis to the guest room. However, once up the stairs, Jack decided to let Ennis sleep in bed with him for two reasons. One, it was closer than dragging him further down the hall, and two, he wouldn't have to wash the sheets and get the guest room back in order. He knew that was being lazy, but figured no harm done, Ennis wouldn't know the difference anyway. Jack let go of Ennis for a few seconds to pull the bedding back and turned to catch him just as he was about to fall over.

"Ennis, Ennis," Jack said, as he lightly slapped him on the face.

"I'm here, Jack, whatdaya want?"

"Nothing, Ennis, I just don't want you falling down. Lets get you sitting on the bed so I can get your shoes off."

Jack could tell that in Ennis' inebriated state, he wouldn't be able to undress himself, so went ahead and took Ennis' pants and shirt off, and got him a pair of pajama pants to wear. He got him into the bed and covered him up. Jack then got himself ready to go to sleep, and he lay down and turned off the lights. He heard Ennis making some sounds, and felt the bed moving...Ennis was trying to get up. Jack turned the light back on and went to the other side of the bed to see what Ennis needed.

"I gotta go piss," Ennis said.

"O.k., o.k...right this way friend." Jack helped him into the bathroom and steadied him as Ennis took care of business. He was glad he hadn't put Ennis by himself in the guest room.

"All done?"

No answer.

"I guess you are," Jack said as he helped Ennis back into the bed, getting in himself and shutting off the light, hoping this was all he had to do so they could get some rest.

…

Ennis was snoring at 7:30 the next morning when Jack woke up. He remembered hearing snoring off and on during the night but it hadn't been enough to keep him awake; he'd just rolled over and drifted off again. Now though, he didn't think he could go back to sleep despite having slept about five hours. At least one of them was still able to sleep. Jack got up, showered and dressed, and went to see what there was to eat for when Ennis woke up.

He set some dishes on the table, along with a loaf of bread. He got the coffee maker set and looked to see what kind of cereal they had. Cocoa Puffs and Special K. Maybe Ennis wouldn't even be hungry, but he'd at least need coffee.

Jack needed an extra set of hands on a project in the garage and wondered if Ennis would want to help him. They could do that for awhile, then afterward, watch some football. Hopefully Ennis wouldn't need to leave right away and they could spend New Year's Day together.

When Jack peeked into the bedroom, Ennis was waking up.

"Goodmorning," he said as he started to open the blinds.

Ennis rubbed his face and eyes and said with a question in his voice, "Uh, I didn't do anything to embarrass myself last night, did I?

"No, don't worry about it, you were fine."

"You sure?" Ennis asked, apprehension in his voice.

Jack assured him he hadn't done anything to be embarrassed about and told him to grab a shower then come down to breakfast.

"Alright then," Ennis said. Looking confused he asked, "How did I get into this bed?" Looking down at himself he said, "And I'm in strange pajamas and don't remember putting them on."

"Don't worry about it, hope your headache isn't too bad," Jack said with a wide grin. He went downstairs and turned on the t.v. to the Rose Parade so he could get in the mood to begin a new year.

After breakfast, Ennis agreed to help in the garage. While Jack was getting started, Ennis drove home to change clothes and returned a short time later wearing Levis and an old UCLA sweatshirt. After working for a few hours, Jack said he could fix them some canned soup and crackers for lunch and they could watch football. Ennis agreed so they settled into the family room and spent the afternoon in front of the t.v. Jack brought out some pretzels and soft drinks later in the afternoon.

By evening they were hungry again so decided to order pizza from Pizza Hut. Instead of beer, Ennis said he'd better stick with Coke so Jack had Coke too, and they ate a large Canadian Bacon and Mushroom pizza while playing gin rummy.

"This was really a nice New Year's Day. Best one I can remember in recent years," Ennis said. "Tomorrow it's back to the old routine. It's gonna be quiet at home tonight."

"Don't think about going home just yet. There's still time for a few more hands."

…

It had gotten late so Ennis was glad when Jack suggested he stay over again. They both bunked in Jack's room like the night before. Ennis was surprised how comfortable he was with the idea of sharing Jack's bed, considering some of his dreams. Since nothing had happened when they'd been drinking the night before, and they were both sober tonight, he figured surely there wouldn't be a repeat of that incident at his house after Keith's funeral. He put on Jack's pajama bottoms and got ready to go to sleep.

Ennis felt like a ten year old on a sleepover. He and Jack were lying on their backs talking in the semi darkness, the moonlight shining through the blinds just enough to give a little light, along with the light from the clock radio on the nightstand. They started off with easy conversation and some laughs, but then it became more serious and Ennis found himself mentioning Keith and getting sad. Fuck, he didn't want to ruin these last couple days by letting unhappy things come crowding back into his mind. He guessed since it hadn't yet been a full year since Keith had been gone, it was extra hard. And his sister was now in Minnesota. He did'nt want to let himself start wallowing in self pity again as he had in the months after Keith's death. Being here with Jack, he wondered why he was thinking of Keith and Anna now, to the point of tearing up.

"Shit," he said wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"It's alright, Ennis," Jack said, turning on his side, propping himself up on his elbow and reaching for Ennis' face, wiping a tear away with his finger.

Jack scooted closer until his face was even with Ennis'. Ennis could feel Jack's breath on his lips. It was as natural as breathing when they came together and their lips touched with a soft tender kiss resulting. The kisses continued without urgency. It was as if they were standing still in time. The feel of Jack's soft lips on his, the sounds they were making, and the scent of Jack's cologne made Ennis feel safe and warm. Jack had a tenderness about him as well as passion which was very enticing. It seemed so natural, that Ennis couldn't imagine being any place else at this time. He was beginning to feel dizzy, he was feeling so elated, but then the warmth of those lips disappeared and Jack started to say something. It took Ennis a few seconds to realize what he was saying, and he wished he hadn't felt the need to talk, but this was Jack, so...

"Ennis, we haven't even been drinking," he said in a whisper.

That caused Ennis to smile and he answered, "Then why do I feel drunk? Maybe it's left over from last night."

They both smiled and Jack came close again, this time Jack's lips touched his, then Ennis felt Jack's tongue touch his bottom lip, tentatively tasting and exploring. Ennis parted his own lips and Jack's tongue entered quickly causing Ennis to moan deeply in his throat. The moan seemed to encourage Jack to continue as he plunged his tongue deeper searching for Ennis'. Their tongues twirled like dancers, and their breathing become more labored. Ennis felt Jack's hand under his t-shirt lightly caressing the skin on his back. Ennis needed to feel Jack's skin too, and ran his hand up Jack's back, underneath his t-shirt. The feel of Jack's skin was almost more than Ennis could handle. His arousal was almost becoming overwhelming.

"I'm too hot," Ennis said as he rose up a little pulling off his shirt. With a smile, Jack did the same. Jack placed his hand on Ennis' chest slowly running it across his nipples and then down toward his stomach. Ennis closed his eyes and lost himself in the sensual feel of Jack's hand and fingers running over his naked body. When he opened them again, the sight of Jack's bare chest and his face with those smoldering blue eyes looking down at him filled Ennis with more desire than he'd ever felt in his life. Ennis was smoldering himself, so took Jack's hand and pushed it down under his clothes to his rock hard erection. A smile appeared on Jack's face as Ennis felt him take him in hand. Jack's eyes closed slightly and a sigh slipped through his lips as he started to fondle Ennis.

Ennis reached for Jack's groin finding his swollen and throbbing cock through his pajamas and whispered, "I want you inside me." He was glad when Jack didn't seem to object and Jack went to work pulling Ennis' pajamas and shorts off, along with his own. Ennis was barely able to speak or think, but a small part of his brain knew they had to use protection.

He hoarsely said, "I hope you learned your lesson and you've got a condom." He didn't know what he'd do if Jack said no, but luckily Jack reached for his wallet on the nightstand and to Ennis' relief came up with one. He also reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out some lube. Ennis, with nervous anticipation, smiled and rolled over onto his stomach, losing himself in the moment. He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder to watch Jack hurriedly putting the condom and lube on with trembling hands. When he felt Jack straddle him and pull his hips up, his heart nearly stopped realizing that one of his dreams was coming true. Jack's cock started to push in a little so Ennis relaxed to make the process easier. Ennis could tell that helped because he felt himself being stretched as Jack's cock started sliding in, but Jack stopped a couple times asking Ennis if he was o.k. Each time Ennis assured him he was.

Running out of patience, Ennis ground out, "You're not hurting me, it's what I want." Jack responded by sliding his cock all the way home and Ennis heard him give out a loud groan as if he was in ecstasy. Ennis moaned also as he felt Jack's sweat drip onto his shoulder. A shiver of excitement ran up his spine and he could barely breathe.

Ennis wanted to stay this way forever. He was so aroused and more than ready when Jack started to thrust. He met Jack's thrusts with matching moans. He figured if Jack was feeling even half as good as he was they were doing this right.

Ennis felt alive, like he was awake for the first time in his life, seeing things clearly and feeling every fiber of his being. His climax was building and he reached for his cock but Jack reached for it too and breathlessly said, "Let me," and took Ennis in hand and pumped, causing him to spill over Jack's hand groaning and moaning, "Oh God, Jack." As he choked out those words he felt Jack go over the edge and shoot deep inside him. When it was over, Jack collapsed on top of him, both of them weak and spent.

Jack slowly slid out, and Ennis heard him taking care of the condom. Rolling to his side, Jack snuggled up behind him. Ennis was exhausted but it was the best kind of exhaustion. He rubbed his hand on Jack's arm which was tightly around him. He touched his fingers and pushed back into the safety of Jack's body. It took little time and they were both asleep.

Ennis got up a short while later careful not to wake Jack, and made his way to the bathroom, grabbing his pajama bottoms on the way. When he got back to bed, Jack scooted over so he'd miss the wet spot. Jack pulled on his pajamas, then they settled down with Jack spooned up behind him.

Jack whispered, "I thought you left me," and rubbed his nose into Ennis' soft curls.

"No, I wouldn't do that," Ennis said in a sleepy voice as he took Jack's hand in his.

They slept close together the entire night, mostly sleeping like logs, occasionally coming into consciousness enough to snuggle together tighter, breathing in each other's scent.

The next morning Ennis was already up and coming out of the bathroom having showered and dressed as Jack woke. "Hey, didn't want to wake you. Hope you don't mind that I used your shower."

"No problem. You going somewhere?" Jack asked.

Ennis looked distracted and little nervous. "Well, I have patients to see this afternoon, and I was going to do some paper work in the office this morning, but before that I thought maybe we could go out to breakfast so we could talk."

"We can have breakfast here and talk."

"But I thought I'd take you to IHOP and you could get some chocolate chip pancakes or something else you like," Ennis said, trying to make Jack an offer he couldn't refuse.

"Well, o.k., if you're tired of having cereal for breakfast," Jack said with a puzzled look on his face.

"I just thought it would be nice to go out. Why don't you get dressed so we can go," Ennis said, doing his best to look cheerful.

"What time is it?" Before Ennis could answer Jack looked at the clock and saw that it was 8:10.

When Jack got downstairs, Ennis was waiting and ready to go like he couldn't get out the door fast enough. Actually the last thing Ennis wanted to do was leave, but he knew if he stayed there with Jack, they'd be right back in bed and then it would be all the harder to stop this. Just looking at this blue-eyed devil was making him get hard, and his heart had a problem too.

Jack gave Ennis the keys and he drove them to IHOP. The place wasn't crowded and Ennis appreciated that their table felt more or less private where they wouldn't be overheard. After briefly looking over the menu, Ennis got the waitress's attention and she took their order. Jack ordered a Belgian Waffle and Ennis ordered a spinach and mushroom omelet.

"That all you want, Jack?" When he got no response he went on, "You sure? Aren't you hungry?"

Ennis figured Jack could tell the topic of conversation wasn't about food the way he sat there quietly, looking as if he was bracing himself for bad news. Ennis knew his demeanor and body language were giving him away, even though he'd been trying to be upbeat since he'd awakened with Jack that morning.

They were served coffee, and as they sat waiting for their food, Ennis finally cleared his throat and said, "Listen, Jack, about last night. I been thinking, and it seems like there's really only one way to handle this thing, and that's kinda to try and forget it happened...you know, just go on like we were, as friends, and try and put it out of our minds."

Jack said nothing, so Ennis said, "You think that's the best thing too, don't you?"

Jack looked Ennis in the eye and said, "Yeah, guess so." His eyes had lost their usual sparkle and looked sad. Ennis hated knowing he was the one who put the sad in those eyes.

Ennis tried to explain, "It's just that I don't see any way something like this could ever work out, do you?" Not pausing to let Jack answer he went on, "I mean, we're both married with babies to think of. Bobby and Junior, we've got to think of them. And even though Alma and I haven't had a real marriage in a good long while, if ever, well, I don't want to hurt her that way, you know? I'm sure you wouldn't want to hurt Lureen either."

Ennis paused as if he was having a hard time going on and softly said, "This is wrong on so many levels." He felt exhausted after saying all that and was relieved when he saw the waitress bringing their breakfast. He tried to gather his thoughts while she set their plates down and asked if they needed anything else. After she left they attempted eating.

Jack still hadn't responded to anything he had said so Ennis started up again, "And the fact is, I don't want to mess up our friendship and I think carrying on this way would only ruin it, don't you?" Again not giving Jack a chance to say anything, he went on, "And I know we're both straight and all, at least I think, or I thought so. Hell, I don't know, but I never pictured my life as living it as anything but with a wife, you know? And our families, what would they say? You and your daddy just got back on track, I wouldn't want to see anything get in the way of that...And think of our work, people would talk and who knows what ramifications there would be there." Ennis hoped he sounded convincing even though it was causing him so much heartache.

Jack met Ennis' expectant stare and in a subdued voice told him he agreed. Ennis noticed Jack seemed lost in thought and felt a chill, wondering what Jack was thinking and hoped like hell he hadn't pushed him away too hard.

…

After Jack dropped Ennis off, he felt like he was in a daydream he was so deep in thought. Truth be told, most of what Ennis said made sense, but it hurt like hell to think with his head, not his heart. With just a little encouragement from Ennis he would have been willing to say, "Screw everything else," but with Ennis feeling as he did, Jack knew he couldn't make the relationship work by himself. Ennis said this was wrong, but how could it be wrong when it felt so right?

Jack thought back to New York where he'd gotten his heart broken. His heart wasn't just broken this time, it was shattered. At least Ennis still wanted to remain friends which was extremely important to him, and as long as they were friends, he would keep hope alive in the fragments of his heart.

_To Be Continued..._


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Ten days had gone by since Ennis had been with Jack. Jack had called the first part of the week trying to set up a lunch date. Ennis had made an excuse and hadn't heard from Jack since. He missed that man more and more everyday, but hadn't been able to bring himself to see Jack right now.

Alma and Junior had arrived home from Colorado the day Ennis had last seen Jack and things had been extra chilly between he and Alma ever since. She still had not forgiven him for not jumping at the chance to get away with her. Junior had a good time and had lots of little girl stories about what she'd seen and done to tell him. Lureen had gotten back from Texas a few days after Alma returned and they yacked on the phone off and on during the next days setting up their next trip. It was a week-end at a spa for mothers and their kids given to Lureen as a Christmas gift from her folks. Lucky Alma had been invited, and the date was January 12th - 14th. They'd be gone Friday and Saturday nights.

It made Ennis' head spin that Friday evening as he helped load their bags into the trunk. As he hefted another suitcase, he wondered what could they possibly have in all of those cases that they couldn't live without for a few days? As soon as the car was loaded, Alma and Junior left to pick up Lureen and Bobby to drive to Ojai, near Santa Barbara for their spa appointment.

Ennis was having a frozen pizza and a beer while watching ESPN because Alma hadn't bothered to leave any food behind. His mind drifted to Jack as it had about a million fuckin' times in the past week and a half. He wondered how Jack was entertaining himself that night with the house to himself. Maybe he'd gone out to a bar or something. He wondered if Jack ever went out cattin' around, as he did have that condom in his wallet. As close as they were, they'd never talked about cheating, but he knew Jack wasn't much happier in his marriage than he was in his...well, he didn't think Jack and Lureen hated each other, not that he hated Alma, but he couldn't see Jack and Lureen fighting the way he and Alma did. He had the impression Jack and Lureen were friends, and maybe that's all they had ever been. He wondered if they should have tried to carve out a life together, but their path was set when Lureen had gotten pregnant.

Ennis wondered why he had never cheated on Alma, and wondered if she ever cheated on him. Shit, this was a stupid train of thought. In fact, he had cheated on Alma, but only just recently...with Jack. Somehow he hadn't connected his being with Jack as cheating, but he couldn't really say why. They had sex, so of course it was cheating. It was the best damn sex he'd ever had in his life, too. Sex with Alma, or any woman for that matter, didn't begin to compare. He wondered, as he had hundreds of times since that night, if it had been so good because it was with a man, or was it because it was with Jack. It was confusing the hell out of him and at times he felt the need to have Jack again so bad he could taste it. Other times he wanted to run and hide from his feelings.

A little later in the evening, Ennis couldn't stand it anymore and dialed Jack's number, wanting to get together with him. Ennis figured he could trust himself out in public with Jack. This would be a way for them to maybe get things back on the right track. He called Jack's cell so he'd be sure and get him even if he wasn't at home. When Jack picked up it sounded quiet so Ennis assumed he was home, or at least somewhere alone.

"Hey," was all Jack said.

"Hey, Jack, how's it going?"

"O.k., how bout you?"

"Good..." Ennis suddenly felt tongue-tied and knew he had to say something so forged on. "The reason I'm calling is I thought maybe we could get together tomorrow afternoon, maybe play some racket ball...go to dinner after? That is if you don't already have plans." Ennis breathed a sigh of relief that he was able to get that all out.

He breathed an even bigger sigh of relief when Jack responded..."Sure, sounds good. Your treat I assume?"

"You bet."

"What time should I pick you up?"

Ennis could hear the smile in Jack's voice. He felt like he'd won the lottery, and didn't deserve a friend like Jack.

...

Saturday afternoon, right on time, Jack pulled into Ennis' drive-way just as a few drops of rain began to fall. Ennis was ready, and came right out, threw his gym bag into the back seat, and got into the passenger seat.

Jack smiled and said, "Hi, Ennis."

Ennis suddenly felt shy and flustered and all he could get out was, "Hey." He knew he somehow had to pull himself together and find a way of not letting those Buckingham blue eyes and that sexy stubble get to him the way they already were after less than a minute sitting next to Jack.

Ennis didn't know what Jack was thinking but he was quieter than usual. Ennis was startled out of his thoughts when Jack asked him how he'd been.

They talked about their jobs, and then moved on to the subject of their wives having gone off to Ojai.

"Maybe Lureen will come back a new woman," Jack chuckled, but it had a sad sound to it.

Ennis knew just how Jack was feeling.

Arriving at the gym, they wasted no time getting out of the SUV, and rushed inside before getting wet by the rain. They changed into their shorts and t-shirts and headed to their reserved court. After some warming up, Ennis told Jack to serve first because even though it had been awhile since they'd played, he remembered that he'd served first last time. They had only been at it about a half hour and Ennis was getting tired. Jack had won four games to Ennis' two. Ennis could see he should have been working out more and figured Jack had been spending time at the gym in order to be playing so well, and hardly looking tired at all.

"Come on, we've just gotten started," Jack said, not giving him any slack at all.

"No wonder you can eat like a horse and never gain any weight," Ennis shot back.

Jack smiled from ear to ear and they continued. By the time they decided to call it quits at eight games to four, Jack was finally showing signs of being tired. Ennis wasn't happy about his lackluster performance and told Jack he was sorry he'd not been better competition. Jack patted him on the back and squeezed his shoulder as they left the court, chuckling under his breath.

After showering and getting dressed, Jack said he was hungry enough to eat a whole cow. Ennis laughed and said, "I'm sure you can, Jack."

Ennis was feeling pretty good because he'd been able to keep his composure, even in the locker room. He knew the showers there were private so felt he'd have no problem since he shouldn't be able to see Jack naked. He did have to make an effort to think of other things while they were in there, other than a naked Jack, but he'd made it through, and felt if he could do it at the gym; the restaurant would be no problem at all.

...

When they got outside, the cement was wet but the rain had stopped. It was chillier though so they hurried to the Land Rover. "Pasta Cucina o.k. with you?" Ennis asked.

"Sure, sounds good."

It was a short drive and they made good time despite the traffic. Once seated in the small cozy restaurant, Jack said, "This will sure beat what I had for dinner last night."

"What was that?" Ennis asked, his curiosity peaked.

"A damn can of beans and a couple slices of bread. I swear, Lureen hardly ever goes shopping and by the time I realized there wasn't anything there I was too tired to go out."

Ennis felt bad remembering that last night he had pictured Jack out painting the town when in fact he was sitting home alone with a can of beans.

"I had frozen pizza," Ennis said.

As they looked over the menus, the waiter came and took their wine order. They were brought water and bread, and by then they were ready to order. They decided on stuffed mushrooms for their appetizer.

As they ate and drank some wine, Jack made a toast to, "No more beans and frozen pizza." Ennis smiled and lifted his glass.

The salad was served and the conversation flowed. Neither of them mentioned or even thought of their wives. Soon the waiter served Ennis' grilled shrimp over angel hair pasta and Jack's Braised beef and Tortelloni.

They ate in comfortable silence. After their plates were cleaned Ennis told Jack to be sure and order dessert if he wanted. It turned out Ennis decided to also get dessert and they both decided on Tiramisu.

By the time they were finished, Ennis said, "I guess we're trying to make up for last night, huh?"

"That, and make sure we don't starve tomorrow before Alma and Lureen get back," Jack smiled.

Ennis paid the bill and they opened the door to go, and found that it had started raining fairly hard.

...

As they pulled into the drive-way, Jack and Ennis both looked at each other questioningly. They'd both noticed something seemed amiss with the way the Land Rover felt. Ennis said, "Feels kinda rough all of a sudden."

"Yeah, it's pulling to the side...if I didn't know better I'd think I had a flat tire." Jack reached for his umbrella, opened the door and got out, and Ennis did the same. "God damn it! The tires flat," Jack swore when he saw his front driver's side tire.

Ennis had come around to look, "Well, turn the engine off and come inside till the rain lets up."

"Fuck, I wonder what I ran over," Jack said in disgust.

"Hard to tell, probably some piece of shit that had no business being in the road," Ennis said.

They made their way into the house, shook their umbrellas off and set them in the entry way to dry. "Guess we could call Triple A and have someone come change it," Ennis said. "I'd feel bad dragging some poor guy out in this mess though, just to change a tire," he continued.

"I can change it myself when the rain lets up, or you could come out and hold the umbrella over me while I do it," Jack said.

"No use putting ourselves through that in this weather. If it doesn't stop soon, you can just stay here till morning." Ennis couldn't believe Jack might end up staying overnight in his house after he had been so careful to stay away from the man the last week and a half. Well, they were grown men; not horny teenagers, it would just have to work out. If he had to stay, he'd stay in the guest room.

"How bout we watch some t.v. and see how the rain goes," Ennis suggested, as he headed for the family room, Jack following. They turned on the news and listened for a weather report. It was only about 8:30 with time to wait for the rain to subside, but the weather report didn't sound very promising. They decided to turn on ESPN and Ennis asked Jack if he wanted a beer or anything but Jack was too full and said he was fine, he'd pass. They ended up watching t.v. till after ten and the rain was still falling steadily.

Jack was getting tired so said, "How bout I crash on the couch?"

"You don't have to sleep on the couch; you can sleep in the guest room. Bed's comfortable in there." Ennis wished he hadn't mentioned the word bed. He felt his face flushing.

"Well, if you're sure, that would be good then. I'm about ready to fall asleep, so I guess I should head up now."

"O.k. let me make sure the bathroom has towels and everything you'll need." Ennis went upstairs and quickly looked over the situation in the guest room and attached bathroom. He found everything in order.

Jack said good-night and disappeared into the room.

Ennis went back down to the family room and stayed for a short time, then decided to turn in himself, so turned the t.v. off and made sure the house was locked up and set the security alarm. He made his way upstairs to his bedroom, all the while feeling a pull, a longing, to go into Jack's room. "How could this have happened? I was doing so well," he thought as he ran his hands through his hair. He took his shoes and socks off and sat on the bed thinking.

...

Ennis stood outside the guest room door thinking to himself, "The Path to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions." He slowly turned the knob. Ennis stood inside the bedroom staring at Jack through the open bathroom door. He was at the sink wearing just his jeans. Ennis gazed at him with what could only be described as a lustful look in his eyes.

Ennis knew he shouldn't be there after what he and Jack had agreed to, but he also knew it was impossible to stay away from him as out of control as he felt. Jack noticed Ennis and appeared to be startled and Ennis wasn't sure what Jack was thinking.

"Ennis...I thought you said...I thought we said...I thought we agreed..." Jack stuttered trying to get a full sentence out, as Ennis advanced slowly toward him.

As Ennis reached him he said, "Shut up, Jack," as he grabbed his shoulders and pushed him up against the wall and kissed him hard, with pent-up emotion. Ennis felt like Jack was going to swallow him from the way he was returning the kiss. Ennis' tongue plunged in like he couldn't get close enough. His hands caressed Jack's face and shoulders. Jack's breath came in short pants as he ran his hands up Ennis' back. Ennis' heart was beating so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest. They started moving toward the bed, trying not to part as they hastily started unbuckling, unbuttoning, unzipping and pulling off the clothes they were wearing.

They fell onto the bed working quickly to remove the last pieces of clothing. Ennis was on top of Jack kissing and sucking his neck, breathing in his intoxicating scent that he couldn't get enough of, trying to touch every part of Jack. Deep moans were escaping from Jack's throat. Ennis felt Jack's strong hands on him and could not suppress a gasp of pleasure. Jack's sounds and actions made it evident he was lost in his own frenzy of desire. Their dicks rubbed together sending shock waves through Ennis. Moans escaped their mouths.

Both of them knew they'd never last if they kept this up. Ennis had ideas of what he wanted from Jack so he moved his body away a little and asked, "You have another one in that wallet of yours?"

Jack didn't answer, just quickly looked for his jeans to get to the pocket his wallet was in. Luck was with them as his jeans had landed on the edge of the bed. He fumbled around and retrieved what they needed in record time.

Ennis took Jack's hand and held it still making Jack understood that he wanted to use the condom this time. He wanted to do anything and everything there was to do with Jack. He felt he could be with this man forever and never get tired of what they could think up to do together.

Jack rolled over while Ennis readied himself. Ennis started to swear softly as he realized they had no lube. "God damn it, we don't have any lube."

"Just do it. Use spit or something, it'll be alright." Jack said as he readied himself on his hands and knees.

Ennis couldn't wait either, so placed two fingers in his mouth to get them as wet as he could, and inserted them slowly into him. Ennis said softly, "Try and relax, Jack, take some deep breaths."

Jack did what he was told and Ennis pushed his fingers all the way in preparing him as much as possible. Ennis spit on his hand and rubbed it on his length getting positioned. He proceeded as gently as he could under the circumstances to get his cock in. It didn't take him long to get fully inside. He couldn't hold back a groan of pleasure at how it felt. He stopped for a few seconds to allow Jack to get used to the feeling and to make sure Jack was alright with going ahead. A silent understanding passed between them and Ennis started to thrust. By this point he couldn't hold back and began to thrust vigorously. The sounds Jack made pushed him toward the finish line but he did remember to reach for Jack's cock and pump it. They settled into a rhythm that worked for both of them and it wasn't long before Ennis was shooting, with Jack seconds behind.

It was an amazing feeling that left both with pounding hearts and gasping for breath. After the ecstasy subsided, Jack collapsed on the bed as Ennis pulled out, and they ended up next to each other on their backs, shoulders touching. After a few seconds Ennis asked, "Are you o.k?"

Jack answered, "Yeah."

After taking care of the condom and trying to calm his breathing down a little more Ennis again asked, "You sure you're o.k?"

Jack again said, "Yeah."

Ennis started to feel guilty about not having had any lube, and for coming into the room in the first place, initiating this when maybe Jack wanted to stay with the original agreement.

"Shit, I didn't plan on this happening," Ennis said in a low voice.

"Well, that was obvious with no lube," Jack said in a serious tone.

"I hope I didn't screw everything up."

Jack remained silent so Ennis asked, "Do you want me to go?"

Immediately, Jack firmly said, "No..." then after a second reached for Ennis' hand and pulled it across his body as he turned away on his side, pulling Ennis to his back so they could spoon together. As he did this he softly said, "Stay close to me, Ennis."

Ennis felt a contentment like he'd never felt before when he was next to Jack this way. He drifted off to sleep.

Jack was still sleeping when Ennis woke a short time later. He left the room and returned shortly. He walked to the side of the bed and stooped down to check if Jack was awake.

Ennis whispered as he touched Jack's arm, "I brought you some pajama pants and a t-shirt so you won't be cold." He then went to the bathroom and brought back a wet wash cloth and proceeded to clean Jack up a little. After he did that he said, "Let me help you get these on."

"You're all right, Ennis," Jack said with a sleepy voice.

Ennis crawled back into bed, wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt, and laid his head on Jack's chest where he could hear his heart beating, as they wrapped each other up in the warmth of their arms. Like the first night they were together they slept as close as they could get to each other, wishing they could stay that way forever.

...

The sun was streaming into the room when Jack woke the next morning, making it apparent the rain was a thing of the past. He smiled when he thought about the rain...and his flat tire. He wasn't amused about the flat, but it still made him smile because of what it had meant the night before. He looked at the clock and saw that it was only 8:15. Ennis was no place to be seen..."He sure gets up early on a day off," he thought.

Just then he heard Ennis at the bedroom door, opening it with some difficulty. Jack's face lit up when he saw why...Ennis had a tray of food. "Ennis, what's all this?"

"It's breakfast in bed," Ennis said with a mixture of shyness and happiness showing on his face.

Jack didn't know what to say. This was certainly different from the morning after their first time. He was relieved to see that Ennis didn't seem to be having any regrets about the night before, and he definitely wasn't either. "What did you make? You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."

"Well, I know you're always hungry so I thought you'd be lookin' for something. Thought this would be a little nicer than cereal."

Jack was impressed with the French toast, Canadian bacon, orange juice and coffee. "You're a good cook that's for sure," he said as he and Ennis ate.

"Glad you like it," Ennis smiled.

"It will give me energy to get that tire changed."

"It's already done," Ennis said in a matter of fact way.

"What?"

"I changed it before I made breakfast."

"Why'd you do that, Ennis, I could have done it, or at least helped you...you're not trying to get rid of me faster are you?" Jack was kidding, but in a way, was partly serious.

"No, Jack," Ennis said firmly. "I just thought I'd help you out a little is all."

"O.k., well, thanks, that was nice of you. Looks like it's a nice day out, huh?"

"Yeah, real nice. You'll see for yourself if you ever get up," Ennis teased.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'd of been up before this but you saw fit to bring me all this food to eat in the bed...not that I'm complaining. I don't think I've ever had breakfast in bed before."

"Well, just don't spill anything," Ennis said, still teasing. "Not that these sheets aren't gonna have to be washed before Alma gets home," Ennis smiled shyly and felt his face flush.

The mention of Alma threw a wet blanket on the breakfast conversation. Jack remembered they'd all be back today and his heart felt heavy. "Guess they'll be back this afternoon. At least they won't be driving in the rain."

Ennis took the tray downstairs while Jack showered and dressed. He met Ennis in the living room and knew he'd have to be clearing out. "You need any help cleaning up the guest room?"

"No, I got it covered," Ennis said, with sadness in his eyes.

"O.k., then...thanks for everything." Jack wanted to ask Ennis questions, find out where they would go from here, but he didn't want to ruin anything so kept quiet and started slowly for the door, his shoulders drooping a little.

Ennis followed, and at the door reached out for Jack and took him into a big bear hug, then kissed him a long, slow one complete with tongue. After they pulled apart Jack stood there speechless, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his tongue darting out at the corners with nervousness.

"You don't have anything to say, Twist? That's a first," Ennis said, still in teasing mode.

Jack stood there not knowing what to say, but after a few seconds started to speak, but Ennis started at the same time so they both stopped and told the other to go on, but Jack insisted Ennis talk first. Ennis looked down at his feet, glanced at Jack, down again, and finally gathered his words.

He said with conviction, "I know what I said after that first night, but that wasn't what I wanted and it's not what I want now, and not something I can live with...I can't give you up."

"Same here, Ennis," Jack said, his voice heavy with emotion.

They gave each other one last hug and kiss, breathing in each other's scent and storing it away in their memories to hold them till the next time they could be together, and then Jack was out the door heading home to get ready to welcome Lureen and Bobby back. Ennis stood at the window watching the Land Rover disappear and knew that soon he would see Alma's Lexus return.

Ennis began working to get things back in order so no one would be the wiser for what had happened there last night. His memories fueled his efforts and he hoped they'd keep him going until the next time.

_To Be Continued..._


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Ennis had the feeling that Connie could tell he was happier, and he was. When she asked, "Dr. Del Mar, what's different about you?" he was sure of it.

"Huh?" Ennis said, placing his phone down abruptly, not having noticed Connie entering his office. He tried to pretend he'd been looking at his computer.

"Oh, I don't know, you've just looked happy lately. More relaxed. I guess the New Year has been agreeing with you so far."

"Well, I hope it's better than the last one."

"Dr. Del Mar, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of unhappy times."

"That's quite alright. And, in answer to your question, I have felt pretty good."

"That's great, glad to hear it, and see it."

"Connie, I've got some errands to run tomorrow during lunch so I may be back a little late. I'll be here in time to keep us on schedule, but just in case I don't get back right on the dot, I don't want you to be concerned."

"O.k., I'll cover for you," she said with a warm smile. Ennis had no idea what he'd ever do without her.

He was meeting Jack at the studio the next day. Jack had no appointments so suggested they meet there. They hadn't seen each other all week. With Alma and Lureen home it was difficult. Ennis was itching to see him, to be with him, and Jack figured they could meet during lunch and make use of his loft. It made Ennis a little nervous but Jack said it would be fine, no one would bother them. He couldn't get that man out of his mind. He also had things he needed to talk with Jack about and hoped Jack wouldn't take offense when he brought up the subject he felt required discussion.

With Connie back in the front office, Ennis made a few private phone calls.

...

From the time Ennis got up Friday morning until he was ready to leave for his lunch date with Jack, he was filled with excitement. He had to concentrate to keep his mind on what he needed to do that morning. It was going to be a long morning waiting, and a long day, because he had a few places to go after work, and this also filled his thoughts. He felt young and free, like the world was his. Even Alma's constant bitching hadn't been getting him down lately.

Jack had said he'd have lunch there for them, so all Ennis had to do was hurry over to the studio, which he did. Standing at the studio door, he took a deep breath and opened it. He didn't see Jack right away, but could smell food...Chinese. Then there he was, standing at his office door wearing that sexy smile of his. He had on a two toned blue v-neck long sleeved t-shirt and he looked hot. Ennis felt like he'd rather go right to dessert, but Jack had gone to the trouble of getting the food, so he knew they'd have to eat first, and of course Jack was always ready to eat.

"Hey, Jack," Ennis said, obviously unable to hide the feeling of desire he had because Jack said, "Hey, Ennis, you been missin' me?" as he crossed the distance and brought their bodies close, giving Ennis a hug and sweet kiss which turned rather passionate, and spoke of things to come.

"Yeah, I might have missed you just a little bit," Ennis smiled, trying to keep his composure.

Jack looked directly into Ennis' brown eyes and asked with an innocent smile, "You hungry?" in a way that let Ennis know exactly what he was implying.

Ennis cleared his throat and tried to carry on unflustered, "Smells like Chinese."

"Yeah, it is, from that place a block over."

"Well, let's eat then," Ennis said, realizing he sounded like he was rushing, but hell, he was. He couldn't wait to get up that spiral staircase to Jack's bed.

Jack hurried over to lock the door, then set the little takeout boxes of food onto the table. He got Cokes from the refrigerator, and they proceeded to eat their sweet and sour chicken, fried rice and egg rolls. They talked as they ate. Seemed like they had a lot to catch up on since last Sunday, even though they'd talked on the phone a couple times since then.

When they were about finished, Ennis knew he needed to bring up the serious talk he'd been dreading, but it was important and he knew he'd better just spit it out so they could move on.

Ennis cleared his throat and said, "Um, Jack..."

Jack looked up at him quizzically. When Ennis didn't say anything immediately, Jack said, "Yeah?"

"Jack, I need to ask you something. I know it's a strange time, I should have asked you this before...it's just that...well, it's something kinda hard to talk about."

Jack's face took on a look of curiosity and apprehension. He didn't say anything, so Ennis continued.

"You might think this is none of my business, but I think it is, since we're...I mean, you know...closer than we were."

Jack shifted in his chair and grimaced slightly but didn't respond.

Ennis cleared his throat again, "What I was wondering about is...have you ever been with another man before? I mean, ever?"

Jack looked thoughtful, his eyes a little distant, and said, "No, I haven't been with any other man."

Ennis felt relieved and felt he should volunteer the information about himself so he said, "I haven't either."

Jack smiled, then Ennis cleared his throat again and Jack said, "There's more?"

"Well, I was just wondering...you and Lureen, have you ever run around on her?"

"No, I haven't. I've been faithful to her." Ennis was quiet like he was thinking that over.

Jack said, "Why? Do you think I've been with other women?"

"Well, it's just that...I see the way the ladies all look at you...I just...I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd of said yes...and you can tell me, I wouldn't hold it against you….and you did have that condom in your wallet."

"I made the mistake of not having a condom available once. I'll never make that mistake again. But the answer is still no. Even though you know Lureen and I have never been that head over heels with each other, more like keeping the peace for Bobby's sake, I haven't been out looking around for anything else...not till...well, you know."

Ennis didn't reply, then looked up when Jack said, "Why, you been unfaithful to Alma?"

"No, no, I've never been...don't quite know why though. Guess it's something I take seriously, can't do that with just anyone...not that I'm implying you can. Shit, this is all coming out wrong."

"It's alright, Ennis. I understand. I don't mind you asked me this."

Ennis wanted to ask one more question so forged on, "What about Lureen, you think she's been faithful?"

"I'm assuming so. I haven't had too much reason to think otherwise. I really haven't cared too much though, so I may have missed something along the way. How bout Alma?"

"I don't think she's had anyone else but who knows for sure," Ennis said, trying to end the conversation.

Jack looked lost in thought and Ennis hoped he hadn't ruined the mood. Once they got upstairs and he saw the passion in Jack's eyes and felt the warmth of his touch, he knew he needn't have worried.

...

Ennis set a small bag on the night stand as they got up to the loft. Jack moved closer to Ennis and started kissing his neck saying, "You're wearing too many clothes." Jack's hot mouth sent shock waves though him and he couldn't help but moan. Jack then removed Ennis' tie and started to unbutton his shirt, while he pulled Jack's shirt tail out of his jeans and began touching his skin. Jack kissed a trail down his chest.

Ennis ran his fingers through Jack's hair, whispering, "Come here," then pulled Jack into a kiss that tasted like Chinese food and Coke, Jack's stubble raspy against his face. Ennis' heart was beating fast and he was already hard. He could feel Jack was too, as they pushed their bodies together.

"It seems like it's been so damn long," Jack whispered as they headed toward the bed, trying to kick off their shoes on the way.

"It's been _too_damn long," Ennis sighed as he lifted Jack's shirt. They fell onto the king sized bed, Ennis on top, as he started fumbling with Jack's belt, and the buttons on his jeans, eventually getting them open. Jack was doing the same to him all the while, trying to keep their mouths in contact to give deep wet kisses.

Then they kissed - lips, mouths, necks and chests like they were getting acquainted, no hurry, just pure enjoyment of each other...of being together. After a time, Ennis slipped Jack's jeans and shorts down and with Jack's help off they came. Ennis didn't want to stare but couldn't help it as he gazed at all of him, how fine he looked lying there. Ennis knew he could have whatever he wanted from this man, his friend, and right now he wanted to kiss and taste that body. He touched Jack's stomach with his fingers, and then moved his hand down to take what he was after.

He took that hard cock in his hand and leaned over to kiss it with his lips and taste it with his mouth.

Jack squirmed on the mattress and sucked in a quick breath. He whispered, "Oh God, Ennis."

Hearing Jack say his name like that excited him to such as extent that he felt like he could come right then and there. He willed himself to wait while he paid more attention to Jack's cock, but he did slip his own pants and shorts down over his hips so he wouldn't feel so restricted. It was as if he'd discovered something magical in the way his touches and licks could make Jack groan, buck and moan his name. He sucked on the head and then ran his tongue down the length. He took Jack into his mouth hoping he could keep his teeth from scraping the sensitive skin. After awhile his jaw became sore but he didn't care and kept sucking, licking and swirling his tongue over the head and sensitive slit, hoping he was doing a half decent job.

The scent of Jack and the act he was performing made Ennis feel so close to him he could hardly keep his heart from beating right out of his chest. All of a sudden Jack warned him he was coming so Ennis moved away a little, not really knowing exactly what to do at that point, and saw the white sticky liquid shooting out. It fascinated him so he watched till it stopped. Jack looked so content, so beautiful, lying there with his eyes closed, his long lashes fanning his cheeks. After a few moments Ennis said, "Sorry, I wasn't sure what to do when you started to shoot."

Jack chuckled and weakly said, "That's alright, friend."

Ennis finished taking his jeans off and lay down till Jack recovered enough to start exploring his body, and God, did that feel good. His cock was still hard as a rock and needed attention too. Jack moved down and Ennis' heart started to pound with anticipation. He pulled the other pillow over and laid his head on it so he could watch Jack in action. That might have been a mistake because the sight of that man between his legs taking his cock into his mouth was nearly enough to make him come, and he wanted to wait so he could feel more of the ecstasy Jack wanted to bestow upon him. He closed his eyes so as not to watch, or he knew he'd be coming in mere seconds. He concentrated on the feel of that sexy mouth and tongue and couldn't remember the last time he had been treated to this pleasure. It had never come close to feeling this fantastic...this right.

He shot sooner than he wanted but there was no way to wait. He was able to choke out the words, "Jack, it's coming," before the warm eruption shot out and Jack moved away watching it happen.

Afterward, Jack scooted up to lie close to Ennis saying, "Jeez, I wasn't sure either what to do at the end." They both burst into soft laughter, a silly happy laughter that left them both weak and sedate.

After resting awhile, Ennis noticed Jack's mood had changed. He appeared serious and deep in thought. In a soft voice he said, "Ennis."

"Huh."

"You asked about other men."

"Yeah?"

"Well, it's true what I said earlier, I've never been with another man, only you...but..."

"But what?"

"There was this guy...back in New York."

Ennis gave Jack time to gather his thoughts. It took awhile but Jack finally went on. "The reason I never wanted to talk about when I worked in the piano bar...that's because the manager there...his name was Sam...He was older than me, and I didn't know when I first met him and started working there that he was gay." Jack took a deep breath and went on. "Well, he'd be looking at me, and I'd look at him, and I felt something, an attraction. As time went by, each night I'd be working, it got stronger, and then he started inviting me to have a drink with him after my set. He was nice to talk to...we became friends. I just thought I was lonely, you know, I didn't have any friends there really, and I hardly dated at all. We started hanging out outside work. I kept feeling more and more attracted to him. It was confusing. I felt like he was attracted to me too, and after awhile he told me he was, and that he was gay."

Jack rubbed his hand over his face and went on, "It scared me and I got even more confused. I didn't think I was gay so couldn't figure out why the hell I was looking at him and thinking what I was...Well, like I said, he was older than me, and way further along. He wanted a relationship, not just friendship. I think I wanted it too, but I was afraid and couldn't move forward like he wanted."

Jack squeezed the bridge of his nose and Ennis wrapped his arms around him tighter. With obvious difficulty he went on, "The only thing we ever did was make out, although Sam wanted a lot more. I wanted to do a lot more too, but couldn't. It freaked me out and he knew it."

Jack took a deep breath before continuing. "There was another guy who came into the bar all the time. I guess he'd had his eye on Sam for a long time. He was gay and not afraid...Well, long story short, one night Sam and I were alone after work and he told me he cared for me but that I wasn't ready for what he needed, and that this David guy was, and that they were together now...so no place for me in that equation. I figured the friendship was totally over, along with anything else that might have been. I didn't even stick around to fight for what I had decided I wanted." Jack sighed and said, "I had planned on telling Sam that night that I was ready to be with him, that I wanted to try and have a relationship." I left Sam to David, made no effort to let him see I could be the person he needed. I never saw him again."

Ennis thought Jack was finished with the story, but then he went on. "I crawled into a bottle, Ennis. I don't remember much of the next two weeks except I got mugged on the way to the liquor store, was too drunk to defend myself. After that I sobered up and crawled out of that bottle before making things any worse. Things hadn't changed, Sam was still out of reach, and nothing had gotten any better. That's how I knew when you were drinking that it wouldn't solve any of your problems. Anyway, I left New York, and you know the rest of the story."

Ennis hugged Jack closer to him. "I'm sorry you got hurt, bud," Ennis said softly.

"Yeah, well, it was a long time ago and I'm over it now, I just wanted you to know."

"Bet he was good lookin', huh?" Ennis said.

"Not near as good lookin' or as sexy as you," Jack smiled, then pulled himself up and kissed Ennis softly. Ennis brought his hand around Jack's head and brought him closer giving him a deep kiss, so damn glad Jack was his now.

They laid there in each others arms resting before they could gather their senses enough to realize they had to get up, clean up, and get dressed because Ennis had to get back to work. Before they got up, Ennis wanted to lighten the mood so said, "You know, the funny thing is, I brought lube so we'd be sure and have it and we didn't even need to use it."

Jack said, "I had some here, too," and they both laughed again.

Downstairs they gave each other a hug and kiss, Ennis saying in Jack's ear, "I'll call you," as he dashed out to get back to the office.

...

The drone of a fog horn sounded out as Ennis was getting into his BMW later that evening after finishing up his meeting. Just then his cell phone rang. Alma's name appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Alma," he said into the phone.

"Ennis where are you? It's after 7:00."

"I had some things to take care of after work; I'm getting ready to start home now."

"I've had dinner ready for an hour. It's ruined." she said in her annoying whiny voice.

"How was I supposed to know you cooked dinner? I don't know which nights you might decide to cook," he shouted into the phone.

"You could have called to say you'd be late. I was worried!"

"Well, I'll be home soon so don't worry."

"What were you doing?" she demanded.

"Nothing you'd be interested in. I'll be home soon," he said, and hung up before she could say anything more. He put her right out of his thoughts. Nothing could ruin the day he'd had, and he felt like the coming days were only going to get better and better.

_To Be Continued...**  
><strong>_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Nearly a week had passed before Jack and Ennis were back in the studio sharing pizza and beer after coming down from the loft. This time they made good use of the lube they had stockpiled. Ennis smiled as he gazed at Jack. Jack was feeling happy himself, and wanted to ask Ennis a question, but was saving it, half afraid he wouldn't get the answer he wanted. Finally he decided he'd better bring it up before they had to head home.

"Hey, Ennis," Jack said, looking into those deep brown eyes that made him melt every time.

"Hey, Jack," Ennis said, his tone reflecting the fact he wondered what Jack was up to.

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Hmmmm, what have you got up your sleeve, Twist?"

"What makes you think I've got something up my sleeve?"

"Oh, just the way you said you wanted to talk to me about something. Can  
>tell it's something important or serious."<p>

"Well, yeah, it's important, at least to me. I hope you'll think so too."

"O.k..."

"In two weeks I have to go to New York on a job. Just two nights. I'd just be working one day, have the rest of the time free...I was wondering if maybe you could get away and come. It's during the week though, so you'd have to take time off," Jack said that last part apprehensively, knowing how seldom Ennis ever went anywhere or took time away from work.

Ennis wasn't answering so Jack said, "What do you think?"

"Jack, I don't know...it would be nice getting away with you, that's not the problem."

"What's the problem then?"

"Well, my appointments are already set up; it would be hard changing things."

"Yeah, I figured it would be hard," Jack said in a downtrodden voice.

"But...with Connie's help, I'm sure I can figure something out. It might work." Ennis smiled.

That brought a wide grin to Jack's face. "That would be great. I'm getting tired of not being able to spend the whole night with you."

"Me too, bud."

"Not sure what Alma will have to say about this. She'll probably have a fit." It seemed like Ennis was trying to stifle a chuckle at the mention of Alma being mad.

"Does that matter?" Jack asked.

"Hell no."

They both laughed a little. "Actually she'll probably be glad to get rid of me for a couple days, she'll just be mad I haven't taken time off to go anyplace with her, like to her retreat the first of the month."

Jack thought about that, knowing that retreat was one of the reasons things between them had heated up, with Alma out of the picture for those few days, as well as Lureen having been away.

"Not sure what Connie will think when I tell her I need to rearrange the schedule so I could go away to New York with you though." Ennis looked deep in thought.

"Is that a problem?"

"No, not really. I don't think she'll say anything. She knows we're friends." Ennis looked a little concerned and Jack figured he might be worried it could raise suspicion.

"I'll work on it and let you know. What are the dates?"

"The 8th and 9th of February. Maybe we could even stay a day or two longer since that would put it to the weekend," Jack said with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"I'll see what I can do...I'd like that."

They finished their food, threw the trash away and gathered their jackets knowing it was time they get going even though it was so hard to leave each other. Jack hoped that Ennis would be able to pull off getting away. They needed this in a bad way. They walked to the door, and as usual, gave each other a big bear hug and a deep sexy kiss before heading down the hall to the elevator.

...

Two weeks later Ennis found himself sitting next to Jack on a 747 on his way to New York City. "I hope to God Anna doesn't find out what I'm up to or she'll have my hide," Ennis said as they settled in and removed their seat belts.

"She been wanting you to visit, huh?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, and it's not that I don't want to...I really do. I miss her and Jim. It's just that...well, you know, I get into a rut and just never make plans to go. Besides, Alma would want to go too, I suppose..."

"You talk to Anna a lot?"

"Yeah, at least once a week. She's real happy in Minnesota, so is Jim, so I'm happy for them."

"Well, guess you'll have to make some time to go see them soon."

"Well, right now I'm concentrating on this trip I'm on...with you," Ennis said in a quiet voice so as not to be overheard.

They hadn't been able to be together near as often as they'd have liked because of work, family responsibilities and not wanting to raise suspicion. This trip didn't seem to raise any red flags. Alma was a little surprised Ennis took time off work but she wasn't upset. Connie was pleased and told Ennis that he was long overdue for some time off and rearranged the schedule with little problem. Ennis put in a couple longer than usual days leading up to the trip.

The flight touched down at JFK International at 5:00 p.m. New York time. They caught a cab which took them to their hotel, The Park Central, within walking distance of Central Park where Jack was to be the following morning bright and early.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, Ennis stood back by the elevators feeling a tad bit uncomfortable. He tried not to be, but couldn't help it. This was all so new to him, this new way of life, this relationship he had found himself in with that crazy, captivating, sexy man. There he was, across the lobby checking them in to their fancy hotel room here in New York City, far away from his world back in L.A.,...away from his wife. He pushed Alma out of his mind. Why should he feel the least bit guilty about her? Their marriage hadn't lived up to her expectations any more than it had to his..._he_hadn't lived up to her expectations, that was obvious.

Jack soon joined him saying, "Let's get going, 15th floor," and pushed the up arrow so they could be on their way. Ennis felt excited and nervous...and silly for feeling that way, but it was a good feeling all the same.

Ennis saw two queen size beds when they unlocked the door to their room, and thanked Jack silently for making sure there were two beds for appearances sake. He figured he'd done that for him, although he supposed Jack was concerned about appearances too, but they'd never really talked about it. The room was done in shades of browns and whites, with a blue carpet. There was a 32" flat screen t.v., not that Ennis figured there'd be too much t.v. watching going on as he had other plans for entertaining Jack. The bathroom was spacious, the view of Central Park was great and Ennis couldn't think of anything that would have made it any better. A knock at the door signaled the bellman with the bags. As they unpacked, Jack gave Ennis a smile and asked if he wanted to eat supper in the restaurant downstairs, or go out somewhere.

"You thinking about your stomach already? It's only afternoon by back home time, we've got time before we need to eat, don't we?"

"Well, I guess so," Jack said in a low voice, "Why, you got something else in mind?" he asked looking Ennis up and down with those sexy blue eyes that could light a fire in him faster than anything. Jack slowly approached Ennis, his tongue peeking out from his lips like he was nervous. Jack reached out to touch Ennis' chest and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"We best close the drapes first," Ennis said nervously.

Jack chuckled and let Ennis draw the drapes. Ennis knew Jack liked a little mood lighting when it came to sex, so when the drapes darkened the room he wasn't surprised when Jack turned on a small lamp to give just enough light, and that suited Ennis fine. He loved being able to see that man of his in the soft light. Jack had mentioned candles one time, but so far neither of them had gotten any. Ennis kind of wished they had some now.

Jack continued unbuttoning Ennis' shirt walking him back to one of the beds. Ennis let himself be lightly pushed onto the bed, and Jack finished taking off his shirt and pulled his own off over his head. Jack pushed him back and crawled onto him, giving heated kisses which always turned Ennis on in record time. The sounds alone could do that. God did Jack Twist know how to kiss. It seemed to be working on Jack too, because Ennis could feel the evidence on his thigh. Ennis' pants were starting to feel confining so he stopped to unbuckle, unzip and remove them, along with his shoes. Jack followed suit and pulled back the bed covers while he was at it. Ennis was hard and ready, but wanted it to last so tried to slow things down. Jack seemed to understand and followed Ennis' lead.

Ennis rolled on top of Jack and began kissing and sucking that neck he loved so much. Jack smelled good with that Stetson cologne he always wore. For a long time Ennis had wondered what kind it was and finally found out when he and Jack shared a bathroom. After awhile Jack pushed against Ennis to shift positions, getting on top again, pressing him down against the mattress. Jack reached for the supplies on the nightstand and started getting himself ready. Ennis made a move to turn over but Jack told him to stay put. Ennis wasn't sure what Jack had in mind but trusted him, and was along for the ride wherever it took him.

Jack whispered, "How bout we try it a new way this time?"

"Just what have you got in mind?"

Without answering, Jack lifted one of Ennis' legs over his shoulder. Ennis tried to remain calm and not let on he was a little shocked, because he wanted this, so he quickly adapted and let Jack do as he pleased. Jack lifted Ennis' second leg over his other shoulder. The thought of being able to look into Jack's eyes as he was being fucked made Ennis quiver with anticipation.

"This o.k?" Jack whispered.

"So far so good."

Ennis barely got the words out before he felt Jack slide all the way inside, causing Ennis to grunt.

"Sorry, got a little carried away. Are you o.k.?"

"Try a little different angle."

Jack did, and Jesus, how good it felt. Being able to look up into Jack's face - his eyes, there were no words for it.

"Yeah, like that," Ennis murmured.

Mumbled unintelligible words and sounds filled the room as they made love. Ennis reached for his throbbing cock to jerk himself off but Jack's hand got there first. After just a few strokes Ennis was over the edge, moaning and shooting, opening his eyes to look into Jack's as he finished.

Jack closed his eyes and started thrusting rhythmically. Ennis watched as a bead of sweat rolled down Jack's forehead and dripped off his nose onto Ennis' chest. He was mesmerized as he watched Jack's eyes open with a wild look in them. Then he felt him explode deep inside. Jack seemed calm and serene as he groaned out a few cuss words and pulled Ennis to him.

Ennis was totally exhausted by the time Jack finished, but wanted him to stay inside as long as he could. After a few moments Jack pulled out and Ennis straightened his legs and wrapped Jack in his arms, pulling him tight against his chest. After taking a few moments to recover from fast breathing and pounding hearts, Jack managed to say, "Goddamn."

"Yeah," Ennis said weakly. He rested a few moments then asked, "I'll bet you been reading some kinda books, haven't you?"

"Books? What do you mean? You been reading some books?" Jack asked as he got up on his elbow to look at Ennis.

"I don't need to, I'm a doctor," Ennis answered, with a silly grin.

"That so...well then doctor, how'd I do?"

"You did just fine, Jack, just fine. Better than fine, actually, Jesus." They both smiled and lay down wrapped together and drifted off for a short nap.

...

Jack woke first and waited to hear signs that Ennis was waking up. When he did, Jack asked if he was ready to go find something to eat.

"I swear, you've always gotta be either eating or fucking, or something, don't you?"

"Or something?"

"I seem to have to do stuff for you all the damn time," Ennis said in a sleepy, teasing voice.

"Oh...like what, may I ask?"

"Like find you some food, or beer, or turn the t.v. on for you, drive you someplace, or save your ass from someone you've flipped off and offended cause you don't like their driving...or change your son's diaper for you so you don't faint dead away...or kiss you, and fuck you..."

Jack was laughing now and gave Ennis a slight punch on the arm. "I'm that much trouble, am I?" he smiled, looking into Ennis' eyes.

"I didn't say you were any trouble...well, you're trouble, that you are, with a capital T, but you're no trouble." Ennis started to laugh now.

"Back to my original question, can we go get something to eat now?"

"I guess so...yeah, I could eat too. What time is it anyway?"

"A little after eight."

"A little after five," Ennis corrected.

"Are you gonna go by L.A. time the whole time we're here?"

"I guess not, otherwise you'd be late for your photo shoot tomorrow."

"You don't have to go tomorrow. You can do whatever you want and we can meet up later for dinner."

"Oh, I wanna go. I'll be there."

"Well, if it's too early you can walk over when you get up...if you're still on L.A. time," Jack smiled.

"I'll be on New York time by then; I'll go over with you...if that's o.k?"

"Course it is, I want you there."

After getting up, they headed down to the Cafe New York in the hotel and had dinner. Ennis had the BBQ'd Salmon Fillet and Jack the 12 oz. New York Sirloin. Jack said he'd already had dessert so opted out, and so did Ennis. On the way back upstairs Jack teased, "Life is short, have dessert first."

...

It was a crisp, cold day in Central Park but the sun shone brightly. Ennis had overslept, a very rare thing for him to ever do, so had to walk over about an hour after Jack had left. Jack had tried to wake him and he kept drifting back to sleep, so finally Jack let him be. Must be jet lag...couldn't be he was already worn out from sex, at least he hoped not. That Jack Twist could wear anyone out though, his sex drive never slept in the city that never sleeps. They got into it again later that night, or early this morning, depending on which time you were going by, and it must have totally done him in because he didn't remember anything from the time he'd been transported into ecstasy and came down for a landing, and when Jack was telling him it was morning and time to wake up.

Arriving in the park, Ennis followed the frenzy of activity and was able to find where Jack was working. He'd told him ahead of time the approximate location of the shoot so that helped. There were vehicles parked and about ten people who looked to be getting set up...and Jack, looking sexy as hell in his tight jeans and dark gray pullover hoodie with a light gray eagle on the front. He had on a gray baseball cap and sunglasses. Ennis watched from his vantage point, not close enough for Jack to have noticed him yet. He watched as Jack directed everyone, obvious he'd done this many times before, and knew exactly what he wanted and needed.

The activity slowed down, and Ennis guessed they were waiting for the actress to arrive so were taking a breather. It was then Ennis walked over and when Jack saw him he broke into a wide smile and called out to him to come over. When Ennis reached Jack's side, Jack proceeded to introduce him to everyone. "This is my buddy, Ennis."

Ennis shook hands and found everyone to be friendly, especially one little gal with dark curls, maybe the hair stylist. Ennis could feel her eyes on him and it made him a little uncomfortable. He tried to ignore her because he sure didn't have eyes for anyone except Jack Twist, the man running the show.

And run it he did. When they got started, Jack seemed to be in a world of his own. It was exciting as hell watching that man do what he did. Everyone listened and did what he said. Jack wasn't bossy or anything like that, but when he spoke people listened. Guess that's one of the reasons he'd gotten to where he was.

They broke for lunch around noon, most walking over to a hot dog stand to grab a quick bite. Jack and Ennis did the same, and sat with a couple of the others while they ate. Ennis noticed that gal still watching him, and wondered if Jack got a lot of that because he was a lot more attractive than he was...in Ennis' opinion. Ennis thought Jack could have anyone he wanted, female or male. He wondered what Jack saw in him, the quiet guy not used to traveling except to a couple of boring medical conventions each year, never doing anything exciting. Ennis had to thank his lucky stars that there was some attraction because he had fallen so hard for that man sitting next to him that he could hardly see straight. And he planned to start being more exciting in the near future, maybe surprise Jack. He looked forward to that.

The crew worked into the afternoon, finally finishing and able to start wrapping up. Jack told Ennis to go back to the hotel if he wanted to, and they could meet up later.

Ennis decided to take him up on that, so said good-bye to Jack and the others, and walked back in the cold air, pulling his fleece jacket tight around him. He wanted to make a few phone calls before Jack got back.

Ennis expected Jack to be tired when he got in nearly two hours later, but he was ready to go, hungry again because it was getting on toward dinnertime.

He said he'd freshen up and take them to a little Italian place he knew of, unless Ennis wanted a little "late afternoon delight" first, giving Ennis that sexy look as he sauntered over into Ennis' personal space, planting a kiss on his lips.

That was all the invitation Ennis needed after having watched Jack strut his stuff all day. He had felt half hard the whole time, so grabbed Jack and threw him down onto the bed and this time had his way with him, no complaint from Jack.

After they came down to earth and lay together awhile, Ennis asked Jack about his headaches. Last time they'd talked about it, Jack said they'd been better. Jack told him that he hadn't had one in weeks, and couldn't quite remember the last one. He hadn't had to take any medicine lately and hadn't needed to use any biofeedback techniques either. That was a relief to Ennis. He hated the thought of Jack in any kind of pain...ever.

Just then Ennis' cell phone rang. He glanced at the display and wished he didn't have to answer, but did anyway with, "Ennis Del Mar here, thanks for getting back to me." He secretly wished Jack would go into the bathroom and give him some privacy, but Jack wasn't moving off the bed. Ennis didn't want to be obvious and leave the room himself, so pulled his robe on and walked over toward the desk as he continued the conversation, trying to be careful with what he said. Before he hung up he said, "See you Monday, thank-you, good-bye," and had a lighthearted look on his face as he closed his phone.

"Good news?" Jack asked.

"Why do you say that?"

"You look like you just won the lottery, is why."

"Yeah, well...I did. I'm here with you, aren't I?" he said, obviously trying to change the subject.

Jack started to say more, but let it drop.

...

The remainder of their time in New York was filled with sex, sightseeing, sex, fine and not so fine dining, sex...and they even saw the Naked Cowboy in Times Square. Ennis wasn't really sure what to think of the sight, and told Jack he had a much better backside than that, and a better front side for that matter. Jack returned the compliment.

On their last morning, before leaving for the airport they took a cab to some of Jack's old haunts. They visited the neighborhood where Jack and Max used to live. As they walked, Jack pointed out the building his old apartment was in. He reminisced about some of the old days when he'd take Max out walking, etc. They found themselves walking down a narrow street that Jack said was where he had worked in the piano bar. Jack said it matter-of-fact, no sadness in his eyes. Ennis asked if he wanted to go in, take a look around. Jack said no, they could look at it from the outside, but he had no desire to go in.

"If Sam is still running the place, I don't want to be petty and try to make him jealous, parading you in front of him," Jack said as he put his arm around Ennis and pulled him close for a second, then let go, still smiling.

"So, you never been back on any of your other trips here?"

"No, this is the closest I've been since I left. The past is the past. I'm looking toward the future."

...

By Sunday night, Ennis was back home with Alma and Junior. Jack was back home with Lureen and Bobby. Ennis was lost in thought, thinking about getting back to work the next day, his appointment after work, and thinking what a fine time he'd had the past few days. He knew he could definitely get used to going to bed and waking up with Jack Fuckin' Twist full time. There was nothing like being with that man, in or out of bed.

He wished life wasn't so damn complicated.

_To Be Continued..._


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

A few days after the New York trip, Alma informed Ennis that they would be going out to dinner with Lureen and Jack in honor of Valentine's Day. Ennis had forgotten about February 14th even being a holiday.

Ennis was home on Wednesday and phoned Jack hoping he wasn't working, to ask him if he planned to buy Lureen anything for Valentine's Day. They had a brief conversation and decided to go shopping together. There was a problem because Lureen had left Bobby with Jack saying that was one of her presents. Jack wasn't sure how well they could shop with a nine month old along, and asked Ennis if he had Junior for the day.

"Brenda's here today," he said. "Why don't I see if she'll watch Bobby too? That way we can get the shopping done quicker. I don't think she'd mind at all, and Junior would be thrilled, and could even help with him. Be good for her."

Jack and Bobby arrived at Ennis' house at 10:00 a.m. Jack and Ennis had been in luck as Brenda was delighted to have Bobby, and it appeared that Junior was too, as she jumped and danced around like crazy, her pony tail twirling like it might help her take flight. Ennis wasn't sure if she was more excited to see Bobby or Jack. She reached up to Jack insisting he pick her up. Ennis thought how good it was for Junior to have Jack, especially now that Keith and Jim were no longer in the picture.

"She's got almost as much energy as you do, bud," Ennis teased.

"Well, I'd have more if I wasn't baby-sitting this morning, and hadn't been reminded it was Valentine's Day."

"I hear you."

Ennis noticed the t-shirt Bobby was wearing. It said "Mr. Messy" on the front. He smiled to himself. He was sure growing into a handsome boy, looking more and more like Jack all the time which must irk Lureen's daddy. Bobby was making lots of sounds like he thought he was talking.

"How's he doing, Jack? He crawling around now?"

"For sure, we have to really keep an eye on him. I think he'll walk early; he's already trying to pull himself up. It's getting a lot harder for Lureen to deal with him at the shop. I think we'll need a nanny soon. Mom takes him some days but she can't do it full time."

They got Bobby settled and Jack gave Brenda instructions along with his necessities, thanking her many times over. Ennis was also grateful, especially since she had to stay late that night so he and Alma could go out.

Jack and Ennis took off heading toward the Westside Pavilion, hoping to get their shopping done in record time. Shopping for their wives wasn't one of their favorite activities, especially when both had been made to feel they had to.

Jack pulled into the parking garage and staked out a parking space. He waited for the car to back out but he didn't notice a car from another direction also waiting. It whizzed right in before Jack, causing Ennis to wish he had driven because of Jack's tendency to honk and flip the finger.

Ennis cringed, "Jack, calm down will you?"

"Sorry, Ennis, but it pisses me off when people do that."

"We'll get another spot, we've got all day."

They entered the mall no worse for the wear and decided to find a jewelry store. Ennis had learned long ago not to get Alma candy, and Jack said Lureen liked something that required some thought, which in her opinion wasn't flowers, so something from a jewelry store would be just the thing.

"We should have shopped when we were in New York," Jack said.

"Oh yeah, like shopping for our wives was high on our priority list," Ennis laughed.

Jack picked out what he wanted almost immediately. He said it had Lureen's name written all over it. It was a vintage style double heart pendant and chain with a five prong crown resting at the top. The hearts and crown had diamonds all around.

"She'll love this," he said. Ennis was amused by the crown. The salesman was too, and the three of them joked about it as Jack paid and asked that it be gift wrapped.

Ennis had more difficulty choosing, but finally settled on a diamond heart toggle bracelet. He asked that it be gift wrapped as well. They left with their bags, glad to have that chore behind them.

Jack said he was going to take a bathroom break so while he was gone, Ennis quickly darted into a store to buy something on the sly. When he returned he found Jack glancing around with his hands on his hips. Ennis approached wearing a crooked smile.

"You were shopping more while I was gone? You've got another bag," Jack said, reaching out for it.

Ennis pulled it back, slapped at Jack's hand and said, "Stay outta there, I don't want you snooping!"

"Why? Why can't I see? What store have you been in anyway?"

Ennis was glad the bag happened to be plain brown and tan striped. "It may just be I bought you a Valentine."

Jack snorted out a laugh and said, "That'll be the day you buy me a Valentine! Come on, Ennis, show me what you bought."

"No." Ennis said firmly. "How do you know I didn't decide to get you a Valentine? You want the surprise ruined?"

"As far as I know there's no sex shop in this mall."

"Sex shop?"

"I figure if you were gonna get me a Valentine it would come from a sex shop."

"You've got a one track mind. Now quit. It might be awhile till I can give you your Valentine, but if you're patient, one of these days you'll see what it is."

Jack looked at him with a very curious look and said with a chuckle, "Well, friend, if you got me a Valentine, then how bout I take us to lunch and to a movie before we go home? You up for that?"

"Hummm, I haven't been to a movie in I don't know how long...that might be fun."

They grabbed sandwiches at Charley's Grilled Subs, and after wasting no time washing them down with Cokes, they made their way to the theater to see what was playing. They decided on "Babel" with Brad Pitt and figured they had just enough time to watch it and get home in time to go out with their wives. The girls hadn't chosen a fancy restaurant because they would be too tired after a day of work to go dancing or to dress up, so Jack and Ennis wouldn't have to do too much to get ready. Jack and Lureen would have to drive Bobby over to a friend of Lureen's who would be baby sitting, but that was on the way to the restaurant.

Jack handed Ennis his jewelry store bag and asked him to go find seats while he bought the popcorn and drinks. As Jack took the seat next to Ennis he handed him the huge bucket of popcorn saying, "Popcorn is a healthy snack," with a satisfied smile.

Ennis took a handful and exclaimed, "Popcorn is healthy, you're right about that...but not when it's loaded with butter, Jack."

"Well, it doesn't taste good without butter. Come on, Ennis, lighten up, it's Valentine's Day!"

Ennis couldn't help but grin, looking at Jack eating popcorn with that innocent smile on his face waiting to watch the movie. They enjoyed the movie and afterward talked about it having won a Golden Globe in January and that it was up for some awards at the Academy Awards later in February.

Things had been going extremely well for Ennis these days, so the fact they were going to have to sit through dinner with their wives later that night was pushed to the back of his mind.

...

Ennis and Alma were waiting near the fireplace in the lounge area of El Cholo Mexican Restaurant for Jack and Lureen. Ennis had pangs of guilt at having to sit with Jack and the girls for the evening. He figured Jack felt the same. He was glad this wasn't a dance club so it shouldn't be too bad to get through. He certainly didn't feel like doing any close dancing with his wife. He and Jack had decided to bring the gifts to the restaurant.

When both couples had gathered together, they were taken to a large wooden booth. The ladies were given a rose by the hostess in honor of Valentine's Day, red for Lureen and pink for Alma. They were greeted by the waitress, and served a big bowl of chips and guacamole. Alma complained that she'd better not eat much of it because she needed to watch her weight. Lureen only nibbled too, commenting on how many calories were in avocados, but Jack was wolfing it down, and Ennis found himself enjoying it too...no use letting it go to waste.

After looking over the menu, Ennis decided on crab meat enchiladas. When Jack said he was going to try the chicken chimichanga Ennis said, "Chicken? No beef? Maybe I'm rubbing off on you after all."

Jack laughed and said, "What are you trying to say?"

Ennis gave him an amused laugh and held his hands up in surrender saying, "Nothing, Jack."

Laureen chimed in, "If you're turning over a new leaf, maybe you should order what I'm having, the fresh vegetable fajitas."

Ignoring Lureen, Jack said with a smile, "What did you decide on, Alma?"

"I'm having the shrimp fajitas, and I think I'll have a margarita."

"Oh, I want one too," Lureen said.

Jack and Ennis ordered their usual beer.

Lureen and Alma did most of the talking during dinner...to each other. Ennis quickly became bored, and glancing at Jack could tell he was suffering the same. The soft lighting reminded Ennis of things he shouldn't be thinking of in this place and at this time.

After dinner they ordered a plate of churros to share for dessert. Again, Alma made a big production about only eating half of one, with Lureen finishing one. Jack and Ennis polished them off.

Ennis wiped the sugar from the churros off his lips and said, "Well, Jack, have we made them wait long enough?"

Jack smiled and playfully said, "Oh yeah, there is something they might be interested in seeing, isn't there?"

"Go ahead, you go first," Ennis said, making a sweeping gesture with his hand toward Jack.

Jack proceeded to present Lureen with her little red box. She acted like she wasn't expecting anything, and opened it excitedly.

Lureen started to giggle when she saw the necklace. "A crown, look Alma, I've got a crown to wear."

Turning to Jack, Lureen said with a laugh, "I'm glad you realize I'm the queen of the castle."

"Of course, that's why I got it for you," Jack chuckled.

"Well, help me put it on," Lureen said happily.

Alma admired it, smiled, and looked at Ennis expectantly.

Ennis handed Alma her little red box and she also acted flustered and surprised to have a gift to open. When she saw what was inside, disappointment was clear on her face.

"Ennis, I never wear bracelets, especially the kind that dangle. They're so annoying. Have you ever seen me wear a bracelet?" she said in an angry tone.

Ennis saw a look of strong disapproval flash in Jack's blue eyes. It looked as if he was on the verge of saying something to Alma, and Ennis hoped he wouldn't. He breathed a sigh of relief when Jack remained quiet. The little nudge he gave Jack's foot must have been enough to keep him from saying anything, but the look in Jack's eyes remained for a few long seconds.

Even Lureen tried to quiet Alma down saying, "It's the thought that counts," and tried to smooth things over by saying nice things about the bracelet.

Totally exasperated, Ennis said, "Alma, if you don't like it, nothing is stopping you from taking it back and buying what you want."

"I'll do that," she said curtly.

Ennis was further irritated by the sour disappointed look that remained on Alma's face for the rest of the evening.

They called it a night in order to relieve their baby sitters. As they said good night outside the restaurant Jack gave Ennis' arm a squeeze and said in a hushed voice that only Ennis could hear, "Hope we can get together soon."

Ennis patted Jack on the back and said, "I had a good day, thanks." Ennis was actually smiling like he didn't have a care in the world, not letting Alma ruin his mood.

...

That night at home, Ennis had only good thoughts in his mind. No matter how unpleasant Alma had been, he wouldn't let her take away what was going on in his life and in his heart.

By the end of the month part of his dream would be coming true. He felt excited like a kid. He'd debated sharing this with Jack, but decided he wanted to surprise him. It wasn't often he got to surprise that man and he couldn't wait to see the look on Jack's face when he found out what Ennis had been up to.

He wasn't looking forward to when Alma would find out though. He knew shit would hit the fan, but it would all be worth it. Throwing caution to the wind, he was finally doing something for himself, and maybe it was meant to be that he'd waited till he was nearly thirty five years old to do so. Now he had Jack to share it with which would make it all the better.

He knew Keith would approve of what he was doing, or at least part of it. He could scarcely imagine what his brother would have said and done had he been around to find out about Ennis and Jack's relationship. For that matter, Ennis wondered about Anna. What would she think about him and Jack? Since she was living so far away, would there come a time he'd need to tell her? If that time came, then Mr. and Mrs. Twist would need to be told also, and others...no reason anyone would need to be told, not unless Alma and Lureen found out...or were told. God, a whole can of worms would be opened up there. He didn't feel like thinking on this right now. One thing at a time. He and Jack would get through it one step at a time.

Someday they were going to have to compare notes as to what they wanted the future to hold for them. Ennis needed to know what was in Jack's head, but he was afraid to give voice to those questions, but the only way to find out was to ask.

He checked the house making sure it was locked up and decided to turn off his mind for the night and get some sleep.

_To Be Continued...  
><em>


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Ennis missed being with Jack something awful. Lureen hadn't been traveling as much as Jack had expected which was a problem. With Alma and Lureen around it was hard to get together even when they had the use of Jack's studio. Jack told Ennis he was being paranoid for not wanting to come to the studio during lunch, but Ennis didn't want to arouse suspicion in Connie by taking long lunches very often. After work was hard too with Alma expecting him home. They'd lied to their wives last Saturday about having errands to run, but that was a week ago and once a week with Jack wasn't near enough. A week felt more like a month.

This week-end Ennis had plans. Something no one, not even Jack knew about. If everything went right, by the first part of March he'd get to share it with Jack. Alma was slated to be away overnight on March 5th so he planned to take advantage of her absence. Not having Anna around anymore made it hard to be able to get Junior squared away, but he planned to tell Brenda he was going to stay late at the office to get some work finished and that he had a late meeting with a sales rep, and would ask that she take Junior home with her for the night. Jack would have to make up an excuse for Lureen so he could be away all night. This wasn't right, the lying, but he was desperate.

He hadn't talked with Jack yet about this thing they had going on. Last Saturday they were both so glad to be together they didn't talk about much of anything, rather just did what they did best when they were together. They couldn't wait to get up those stairs to the loft and into that big bed. Afterward Ennis couldn't bring himself to approach a subject he was afraid of, so he'd let it slide. He wondered if Jack ever had thoughts like his. Maybe not, otherwise, wouldn't he bring it up himself? Jack was more of a talker than he was, that's for sure. It made him nervous and scared to think maybe what they had was enough for Jack, because it wasn't enough for him, not by a long shot. The bottom line was he was going to have to talk to Jack, if he could just get the words out.

Ennis was in his BMW heading to where he needed to be that day. He hadn't been this excited in a long time. When he arrived at his destination, he parked the car and walked the short distance to where the two guys he'd hired were busy performing their magic. They had come highly recommended and he could see why. The detailing was almost complete and it looked fantastic. They did top-notch work and Ennis couldn't wait to see the finished product.

Tomorrow he planned to do some shopping. He had a list of what was needed. By next week-end he'd bring it all out and get it unpacked. He hoped he could hide it from Alma until he could get it all out here.

...

The Monday of Alma's overnight business trip finally arrived. She left for San Diego and wouldn't be back till the next evening. Ennis was going to try and wrap up early at work and meet Jack at his studio and drive them to their night in paradise, the first of many. He'd told Jack he had a surprise and to bring an overnight bag. Jack told Lureen he had a late shoot that evening and an early one the next morning, so was staying in the loft that night. Ennis knew Jack was curious about the surprise, and that made Ennis all the more excited. Jack asked a million questions but Ennis wouldn't give anything away. He thought he might even blindfold Jack for the drive, or at least after they got there, but decided maybe that was a bit over the top.

Ennis arrived at the studio at 4:30 p.m. That wasn't as early as he'd of liked but it was the soonest he could get there. He wished tomorrow wasn't a work day, and wished even more that he didn't have to get back to his house early in the morning to say good morning to Brenda and Junior when they arrived so as to not arouse suspicion. The more he thought about that, the more he wondered why it mattered. He had been doing some hard thinking and had come to a decision, so soon it wouldn't matter what anyone thought.

"Ready?" Ennis asked as he entered the studio.

"Yeah, ready as I'm ever gonna be," Jack said as he quickly put a few things away.

It was obvious Jack felt as rushed as Ennis had at the end of his work day. Even so, he had a big smile on his face.

At the door before they left, Jack grabbed Ennis and said, "Hey, it's been too long, I'm missin' you," and took Ennis' face in his hands, giving him a deep kiss.

After they pulled apart, Ennis was all smiles and said, "I hope there's more where that came from."

"Sure is, if we ever get there."

"Well, why are we standing here instead of getting on our way? Let's get!" With that, they hurried to Ennis' car.

...

As they headed south on the 405 freeway, Jack got the idea they were going to Santa Monica, but as they passed the off ramp he said, "Ennis, where are we going?"

"Jack, you know I can't tell you that yet. It would ruin the surprise. Just sit back nice and quiet and enjoy the ride. And if you're real good, tonight maybe we'll even have some ice cream," Ennis said with a wicked grin.

That confused the hell out of Jack. _Ice __cream?__ Why __is __the __man __talking __about __eating __ice __cream. __Has __he __lost __his __mind?_

It wasn't long before Jack decided maybe their destination was Marina Del Rey, but they'd never been out there together so he couldn't imagine why they'd be going there. He decided Ennis must have gotten them a fancy hotel room somewhere, but why clear down there? He tried to remain patient.

When it became apparent they were heading to the marina Jack asked, "The beach? Are we going for a walk at sunset?"

"Something like that," Ennis smiled.

"Ennis Del Mar, are you getting romantic on me all of a sudden?"

"What if I am?"

Jack smiled from ear to ear, "I'm not gonna try and stop you."

Ennis parked the car and told Jack to grab his duffle as he grabbed his, plus a bag of items that looked like they came from a grocery store which Jack hadn't noticed before.

"Why are we gonna carry all this stuff with us? Are we going to cook on the beach? Aren't we going to a hotel or something?"

"Or something, yeah, we are...just come with me." Ennis had a big grin plastered across his face as they walked side by side past a number of boats moored in the marina.

"Are we visiting someone?" Jack asked.

"No, I want you all to myself tonight," Ennis said in a low growl.

"Oh, I get it; someone let you borrow their boat for the night. I get it now," Jack said, proud of himself for figuring it out.

"Yeah, that's it," Ennis said. "We've got a boat for the night...nice surprise, huh?"

"I'll say...that's great, Ennis. But who do you know well enough they'd let you use their boat?"

"That's not important. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

By now they'd come upon a 35' cabin cruiser with a winter enclosure on the rear deck and bridge. At first Jack didn't notice the design painted on the side, but when he did, it all started to become clear.

"Ennis, this boat says the same thing that little boat in the aquarium in your office says."

And it did. "Seas The Day" was painted in a wave pattern in blue hues along with blue waves and a bright yellow sun. It wasn't long before Jack's eyes had a look of understanding, and then pure excitement.

"Am I going to have to hold you down so you don't float up into the sky or something?" Ennis laughed.

"Oh my God, Ennis, this is your boat!" Jack was laughing now.

"Yeah, it's my boat...how bout we go on board and look around?"

"Why didn't you tell me to bring my camera? I wish I had it now!"

"That would have tipped you off that something was going on. I didn't want that. You can bring it next time. I do wish I could have captured the look on your face when you saw the name on the boat though."

In the enclosed deck were four chairs and a small table. Ennis unlocked the door and directed Jack below deck. As Jack passed by, Ennis handed him a key and said "This one is yours." Jack looked down at the key chain fob. It was brown with waves in shades of blue decorating it. He was speechless.

They stepped down into the galley area. The whole inside of the boat was done in off white, navy blue and brown. The galley was very compact and efficient with stove, microwave, sink and mini refrigerator/freezer and cupboards and drawers. Ennis quickly put the bag of groceries away. The table was forward from the galley and a bed could be made up when the table was lowered. There was even a t.v. and an am-fm cd stereo.

It seemed to have everything they needed, heater and air conditioning too. The bathroom, just aft of the galley, was the same colors as the rest, with a shower, toilet and sink. Small closets and drawers were located here and there, making maximum usage of all space in the boat. They continued to the back and looked at the aft cabin which had a wrap around seating area that could be made into a bed, and it just so happened that Ennis had the bed made up already. It was queen size with a brown and blue bedspread with a sea bird pattern. Pillows in shams were on top.

"Figured we'd use this bed, that way we can leave the table set up," Ennis said. "How does that sound?"

"Sounds good, Ennis," Jack said, still trying to let it all sink in.

"I had no idea you were planning to buy a boat. When did you get it?"

"I've had it a couple weeks. Just got it all finished the way I wanted, and knew Alma would be out of town so wanted to wait to bring you out to see it."

"Alma know about it?"

"No...not yet."

"What's she gonna say?" Jack said with a cautious tone in his voice.

"It doesn't much matter. I used my own money; she doesn't have any cause to get upset about it. You know I said after Keith was killed, he had a life insurance policy that would be split between me and Anna? Well, I used that money for the boat. Figured I had a right to do what I wanted with it."

"Will Alma see it that way?"

"It doesn't matter," Ennis said in a strong voice, but looked down at the floor.

"Well, it's a great boat, friend."

"Yeah, and I got a real good deal on it. The people selling it barely used it. They'd kept it in a covered slip and had it out of the water recently to have the hull redone. They just moved it to this slip about six weeks ago. They were getting a divorce so wanted a quick sale. I was in the right place at the right time." Ennis had a smile on his face again.

"Their loss is your gain," Jack said, also smiling.

"Sure is. You about ready to eat? I've got groceries and a hibachi," he grinned.

"Great, what can I do to help?"

They both worked to prepare dinner with Ennis doing most of the cooking and Jack being the go-fer. Jack felt relaxed and peaceful. Ennis had opened one of the flaps in the winter enclosure so he could cook the steaks. Jack lounged in one of the chairs on the aft deck and watched him, feeling so happy for Ennis. It was dark by then and the sea air filled his lungs and the sounds in the distance set the tone. Summers out here would be fantastic. It was chilly, at least in Jack's opinion, so they ate at the table below deck. Ennis baked potatoes in the microwave, and had made a garden salad.

As they ate they talked about the boat, with Ennis filling Jack in on some other points of it, mostly about the engine, the year, cruising speed, etc., and promised to teach him how to drive it. After they finished eating and cleaning the dishes in the tiny sink, they headed for the aft cabin.

...

Ennis had one more surprise for Jack. He stood back from the bed at first, and Jack wondered why. It seemed like Ennis was waiting for something. Jack looked at him with a question in his eyes.

"Uh...why are we standing here when we could be getting undressed?"

"Just wait, Jack. Don't you notice anything here by the bed?"

"Let me see...Oh, what's that there on the ledge?" Jack walked closer and reached out to pick up one of the candles sitting there. He looked closely at it. "Are these some sort of candles? Never seen any like this before."

"It's your late Valentine, remember? I bought you something that day at the mall. Well, this is them. You like em?" Ennis was smiling now like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"Ennis, you really did buy me a Valentine that day. I wasn't sure you were serious," Jack said with warmth in his voice.

"Told you I did, and that you'd be getting it one day."

"How do you use them?"

"Just slide the little switch," Ennis said as he took the candle Jack had been holding and demonstrated. "They run on batteries and look just like real candles, but they're not dangerous like a real flame."

"You don't say...they're really nice, Ennis, thank-you," Jack said as he moved closer and started to kiss Ennis on the neck.

"Let me get the candle set back down and turn them on before we get anything started," Ennis said. As he got them turned on, he pulled back the bed covers revealing bright blue sheets. The candles gave off a very romantic glow.

Ennis had a look in his eyes that Jack couldn't remember ever seeing before. In a voice so low Jack could barely hear, Ennis said, "The light makes you look so fuckin' sexy."

The next thing Jack knew, Ennis was stripping him bare and then slowly stripping himself. As Jack watched Ennis, he got an erection harder than he could ever remember. It must have been the light from those candles. Moans slipped from their throats as they came together. Ennis' kisses were hard and deep. Jack ended up sprawled on the crisp new sheets with Ennis on top of him. Ennis' hands were everywhere, feeling Jack's naked body. Jack was matching touch for touch, feel for feel.

"Jack, I'm not gonna be able to wait," Ennis whispered.

"Me neither," Jack whispered back.

Those were the last coherent words Jack heard. The next thing he knew, Ennis seemed to be overcome with lust and made love to Jack with unbridled passion.

...

After dozing for a short time, Ennis opened his eyes and saw in the dim flicker of light that he'd gotten a little carried away on Jack's neck. He pulled Jack to him and stroked his hair, planting kisses on his head. Jack began to stir and nuzzled into Ennis' neck and ran his hand across his chest. Ennis felt a little bad having lost total control that way, but the marks made Jack look extra sexy in his eyes. Ennis wondered how he would tell him, or maybe he should just let Jack notice first. He knew they'd have to find some way of covering them unless they were low enough for a shirt to cover. He wasn't going to dwell on that now. They had the whole night and he wanted to revel in the good feeling he had. He dozed off again.

When Jack woke he reached for his robe and headed to the bathroom. Ennis felt Jack get out of bed and wondered if he'd be looking in the mirror while he was in the bathroom. Ennis got up because he wanted to get Jack the ice cream he'd promised. He waited by the bathroom door for his turn first. When Jack opened the door he had a funny look on his face and Ennis figured he was in for it so he braced himself.

"Ennis, you see anything different about me you didn't see before?" Jack said with a stern tone in his voice, looking directly into Ennis' eyes.

"Uh, I'm not sure what you mean...Oh, uh, what's that on your neck? Did I do that?" Ennis asked innocently, as if this was the first time he'd seen it, leaning his head to the side to get a better look.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Uh...We'll think of something, don't worry. Just calm down. Let me go into the bathroom for a minute and when I get done I'll get us some ice cream and we can figure out what to do." Ennis patted Jack on the shoulder and smiled, hoping that, along with the promise of ice cream, would pacify him for a little while at least.

Jack was seated at the table when Ennis joined him. Ennis got the bowls from the cupboard and the ice cream from the freezer. He was extra glad he'd picked out a flavor he knew Jack liked, "Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough."

Ennis smiled his best smile, and tried to butter Jack up by saying, "Look, Jack, your favorite kind."

Ennis could tell that Jack was interested in the ice cream, but knew he was still concerned about his neck. Ennis dished it up and placed Jack's bowl in front of him.

"There you go. There's more where that came from."

"Well, I hope there's no more where this came from," Jack said disgustedly, moving his neck and motioning with his hand to emphasize what he was talking about.

"I think it looks better already," Ennis said, not sounding very convincing.

They both ate in silence. Ennis didn't like silent Jack, even though sometimes it was nice to hear nothing but silence. Not tonight though.

"Do you have a turtleneck you can wear? We could stop at your place in the morning for you to put one on."

"Ennis, I don't wear turtlenecks," Jack barked out, trying to control himself.

"Alright, alright...maybe a normal shirt will cover it, you know, a button up kind. Not one of those v-neck t-shirts you wear all the time."

"What if it doesn't?"

After thinking for a few seconds Ennis said, "I know what to do...We can stop at the office in the morning. I think we've got some scar cream there, you know, make-up that covers scars? That will do the trick...See, problem solved!" Ennis was proud of himself for thinking of that, and hoped Jack would relax and not be concerned anymore.

Jack wasn't saying anything yet so Ennis asked, "Any more ice cream?"

Jack was still looking serious and said, "I've had enough." After a moment he looked in a little better mood and said, "It was real good, thanks for getting it."

Ennis' lips turned up into a smile as he said, "Ready to go back to bed?"

Jack smiled slightly and seemed more like himself. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Should I return the favor, Ennis?" he said with a mischievous smile on his face.

Ennis hoped Jack was beginning to see the humor of the situation and said, "Jack, I don't wear turtlenecks either."

...

They went back to bed, snuggling together; Ennis making sure Jack was warm enough, the candles still flickering. They drifted off to sleep in their home away from home.

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning Ennis was woken by Jack's sweet kisses and tender caresses. Hands and fingers found the right parts, one thing led to another, and each having learned what brought the other the most pleasure; they were shooting in no more than five minutes. Jack whispered Ennis' name as he floated off into ecstasy. After they came down to earth, Ennis said in a hushed voice, "You and your early morning sexcapades," as he pulled Jack tight against him, nuzzling his nose into Jack's hair.

Lazily Jack whispered, "You're gonna have to get used to it if we're gonna be spending a lotta nights here."

It sounded like Jack was falling back to sleep, but Ennis had wanted to talk about something important and knew they'd be rushed in the morning, so he nudged Jack asking, "You still awake?"

"I am now," Jack whispered.

Ennis cleared his throat and hesitated. Jack pulled away slightly asking, "What's on your mind?"

In a soft voice Ennis said, "I've come to a decision I wanna let you in on." As Ennis continued, he spoke just above a whisper, "First I want to say I'm in no way expecting you to do what I'm doing. This isn't about me and you so much as it's about other things." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts.

Jack stayed quiet so Ennis continued. "I've been thinking about this a long time...years. Before I ever met you...but more since...well, since we started being more than friends." Ennis paused again.

Ennis felt like he'd lost his nerve and wasn't going to be able to go on, but finally he said, "I'm leaving Alma. I can't stay married to her anymore. It's not working and it's only getting worse. As much as it hurts me to leave Junior, it's not good for her to hear us fighting all the time. This will be the best thing for all concerned."

Jack remained silent but Ennis didn't think it was from being shocked. "You're not surprised are you?" he said.

"Not really. You and Alma..." Jack stopped at that point and asked, "What are you gonna do? When will you tell her?"

"I plan to tell her this week and I'll move out here and live on the boat till I decide what to do permanently."

Jack simply said, "You've got my support, Ennis. Anything I can do, you just let me know."

…

As Jack tried to drift off to sleep in Ennis' arms, he was having a hard time breathing normally and he wondered if Ennis could feel, and even hear his heart beating, because it sure was pounding. He didn't figure saying, "I'll leave Lureen and we can be together every day and every night from now on," was the thing to say, even though he wanted that with all his heart. From the very first time they'd been together New Year's Day, he had entertained thoughts like that, especially at night when he couldn't sleep and sometimes even in daydreams. He never felt he dared mention it to Ennis, for fear of driving him away. Even now he was of the opinion he needed to be careful with what he said. He wanted so much to say more, but knew it was best to keep quiet, especially after hearing Ennis say that this decision wasn't just about them. He needed to be patient and let things take their natural course. He knew the disappointment would be too great to live through if there was a repeat of that morning at IHOP. He told himself not to get too excited by Ennis' plans, but what he told his brain wasn't reaching his heart as it continued to beat with excitement for the future.

_To Be Continued...**  
><strong>_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Ennis hadn't been back to the boat since that Monday with Jack, but late the following Friday night he found himself on his way. It had taken several days for him to find the right time to tell Alma his plans. Maybe he hadn't quite chosen the "right time," because it sure hadn't gone well. He knew in his heart that there was never a right or good time for these things. It wouldn't have gone well no matter when he'd brought it up. He was just relieved to finally have it out in the open. Some of the stress he'd been under was alleviated when what he had to say finally come out of his mouth. He thought back to earlier in the evening.

"Alma, as far as I'm concerned, this marriage is over and I'm moving out." It felt so good to finally say that.

"You're what?" Alma had spit out.

"You heard right, it's over and I'm leaving. I'm going tonight."

"Ennis, you can't be serious," she said in a raised voice, her mouth turning down at the corners.

"Surely you've seen this coming. You aren't blind. If you're honest with yourself you'll admit this is what you've wanted too."

"Don't you dare tell me what I want! I don't want to split up! I don't want to fail!"

Alma started to cry which surprised him. "We'll be better off apart, can't you see that?" he said, hoping she'd see it was for the best.

"What about Junior? How can you leave us?" she shrieked.

"I'll always be there for Junior, that won't change."

"How can you be there for Junior if you're moving out?" Alma cried.

"Calm down, we'll work all that out. Let's take things one step at a time."

"Are you asking for a divorce?" she yelled.

"Lower your voice, Alma."

"Don't tell me to lower my voice," she screamed, tears running down her face. "We can go to counseling. No marriage is perfect. There are things I don't like about our marriage either. We can fix it." Her voice sounded desperate.

"I'm way past that point," Ennis said giving her a blank stare.

"Where will you be going? To a hotel?" she asked, wiping her nose with her hand.

"Alma, this will come as a surprise to you but I just bought a boat. I have a permit to live on board, and I'll be staying there for now."

"You did what?" she screamed. "You bought a boat?...Oh now I get it, you're having a midlife crisis. This doesn't have anything to do with me or us...it's you," she said, as she tried to grab his arm. He pulled away as she said, "This will pass, Ennis. We don't have to break up."

"This won't pass. I'm leaving. I don't want to be married to you anymore and that's final."

"I can't believe this! You actually went out and bought a boat behind my back?" she spat.

"Don't concern yourself with that. I used my own money. The money from Keith's insurance policy."

"You bastard," Alma cried as she covered her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry it's come to this, really I am, but we'll be better off apart. It will be better for Junior not hearing us argue all the time. Can't you see that?"

Alma's face was red, and anger was clear in her eyes. He already had his bag packed and in the car, and all he remembered saying as he left was that he'd be back later for more of his things and to visit Junior. He could picture Alma standing there with a disgusted look on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.

Ennis felt at peace when he was finally in the boat having a beer at his little table. The silence sounded good. Silence though made him think of Jack because there wasn't much silence when Jack was around. He missed him, and it felt like longer than four days that they had been right there together. Jack had called earlier in the week to ask if he'd talked to Alma yet. Ennis figured Jack hadn't been surprised to hear that he hadn't. Why did it always take him so long to do anything?

Ennis decided to turn on the t.v. The 11:00 o'clock news was just ending. He would need to buy groceries tomorrow. He decided not to go back to the house until Monday morning before work, after Alma left for the day. He could get some more of his clothes then, and see Junior.

It was near midnight when Ennis heard footsteps outside the boat. He listened, and wondered who it could be. Maybe one of the other boat owners coming in, but not too many actually lived on their boats, and this still being early March, he was a little concerned as to who was out and about. A knock came at the door and he heard Jack's voice calling out to him.

"Why didn't you use your key?" Ennis asked as he let him in. Giving him a hug, he continued, "What are you doing out here at this hour?" He noticed Jack even had his small duffel bag with him.

"Well, Alma called Lureen after you hightailed it outta there and was pretty furious. Her voice was coming over Lureen's phone so loud I could almost hear what she was saying. The two of them talked awhile and Lureen kept trying to calm her down. I guess they had decided to send me out here to talk some sense into you, because after Lureen hung up she sent me out here." Jack raised his eyebrows and lifted his shoulders and said, "What was I supposed to do but come?" Then he smiled and asked, "Is there an extra beer for me?"

The two of them sat at the table watching Jay Leno and drinking their beers. Not much conversation was needed. Finally Jack broke the silence, "I can just about figure out what went down at your house what with the tone of voice I heard coming outta Lureen's phone."

"I think I'll give her the weekend to cool down and go back Monday for some of my stuff."

When they both started yawning Jack asked, "Am I invited to stay overnight?"

"What are you asking me that for, course you're invited...you don't have to be invited, that's why I gave you a key," Ennis said, one corner of his mouth turning up a little.

"O.k., good...mind if I use the bathroom first then?" Jack stood up and picked up his bag. Ennis remembered to notice Jack's neck, and saw no evidence of any marks. He guessed that scar cover-up cream must be doing the trick. Good to know...just in case it ever happened again.

Soon Ennis had Jack under the covers and it felt so good to be in his arms again. Strong, safe arms. All of a sudden Ennis didn't feel tired anymore and said, "You're not too tired, are you?" as he started kissing, caressing and exploring.

"I'm never too tired," Jack answered as their pajamas started to come off.

Each took their turn leading the way, until Ennis took over and decided exactly what he was in the mood for. He got the candles turned on, grabbed for the lube, flipped the tube open, and proceeded to smear it onto Jack's cock.

Jack asked, "What are you gonna do ta me?" smiling the sexiest smile Ennis had ever seen. Something could sure be said for candle light, he had to admit that. Ennis stayed on top, and quickly smeared a little lube on himself where it would do some good, and worked to lower himself onto Jack's rigid cock causing deep moans to come from Jack's throat.

"God, Ennis," he groaned as Ennis buried Jack's cock inside until it couldn't go any further. Ennis loved it when he felt Jack's hands in his hair and when Jack kissed him wildly, nipping at his lips. Ennis started moving up and down, first slow, and then speeding up. Ennis could feel Jack thrusting upward to meet his every movement. Ennis was at the brink and he could tell Jack was too as he felt him take his cock in hand and start stroking. Ennis' heart was beating fast and hard, and he could feel the sweat running down his temples and dripping onto his chest. Gazing down at Jack stroking his cock he could see the sheen on Jack's naked body. Moans filled the tiny bedroom and the boat rocked in rhythm.

After it was over and Ennis had moved off and fallen into a heap next to Jack, he took Jack's hand in his and whispered, "Sad to think of all those wasted years...wish I'd have found you sooner."

"Yeah," Jack said in a hushed whisper. "You know, Ennis, even if you told me I could never touch you again, I'd still want to be with you...but the sex is the most amazing I've ever had." Jack was chuckling softly by the time he finished saying that.

"You're right there...amazing sex..." Ennis said, sounding as if he was ready to drift off to sleep, but then continued, "I'm surprised you let me near your neck after what I did last time." A faint smile was on his lips as he said that.

"I'm surprised you let me near _your_ neck...maybe you should be afraid of what _I_ might do after what you did to me," Jack said with a slight laugh.

"Oh...I never thought of that," Ennis said with a little bit of concern in his voice, but 99% sure Jack was joking. "I trust you," Ennis whispered in a serious voice, squeezing Jack's hand.

After a minute, Jack asked, "We got any more of that ice cream in the freezer?"

"Always hungry," Ennis said, sounding like he was talking in his sleep, but he wasn't going to disappoint Jack so said, "Yeah, sure do, you want me to get us some?"

They got out of bed and proceeded to the bathroom first, and then to get their after-mid-night snack in the galley.

...

Jack woke up in an empty bed. He listened, but heard no indication of Ennis being there. He thought about the night before. He'd meant every word he had said to Ennis. The sex was mind blowing, but what they had was so much more. He wished he could voice what he was thinking about the future, but he felt it was still too soon. Best to let Ennis get his life in order first.

The clock said 8:30. After getting up and walking the length of the cabin, Jack wondered if Ennis was outside taking in the view. He quickly pulled on his jeans, threw on a shirt, and went up on deck, but still no Ennis. He was about to call or text him but before he could, he saw him coming down the walk-way carrying a bag and a cardboard holder with paper coffee cups.

When Jack saw Ennis break into a big smile his heart swelled. Jack couldn't keep the smile off of his face either. That man was a fine sight in his jeans, sweatshirt and sunglasses, his blond curls blowing in the breeze.

"Where'd you get to so early?" Jack called out when Ennis was within earshot.

"Early? That's a matter of opinion...I've been to Starbucks getting us something for breakfast."

As they went below to the galley Ennis said, "I didn't have much here to fix for breakfast. I don't even think there's enough milk for cereal. I'll have to go shopping later, but I'll probably eat out quite a bit." He put the coffee and food down on the table and turned on the radio.

Jack gave the multigrain rolls a funny look. "I guess these health food rolls you got us will be o.k. with enough almond butter and fruit preserves on them," he grinned.

Jack noticed that Ennis ignored that comment and was looking closely at him as he took the first sip of coffee. "What kind did you get me?" Jack asked.

"What does it taste like?"

"Chocolate and peppermint," Jack said, his eyes lighting up.

"It's called Peppermint Mocha Twist," Ennis chuckled, emphasizing the last word. "Had your name written all over it," he laughed.

Jack shook his head. "You're a funny man this morning, friend...and what do you have, dare I ask? Could it be plain black coffee? Aren't you ever going to get something a little more exciting?"

"I've got you for my excitement," Ennis said with a smile.

They ate in silence until Ennis asked, "Have you called Lureen?"

"No, I'll do that pretty soon. She might not be up quite yet."

"You gotta go home today?"

"I think I can stretch my stay out at least till tomorrow," Jack smiled. "Why, we got plans?"

"We might...how'd you like to take the boat out?"

Jack was all for doing that. Couldn't wait in fact, "That would be terrific," he said with enthusiasm.

"I think we've got enough beer, and there's some bread and fixins for sandwiches...some chips. I'll teach you how to take this thing out. We'll have a good time."

Having a good time was an understatement. Being with Ennis out on the water was fantastic. It was one of the best days he had spent in his life. All indications were that Ennis was enjoying it just as much as he was. Even though they were just over the horizon from shore, it seemed like they were far out in the open ocean.

"I could sure get used to doing this." Jack said, as they sat up on deck eating lunch while gazing out at the beautiful water.

Jack had called Lureen earlier and she wasn't expecting him home until the next day. He knew she expected him to be trying to get Ennis to see the light and go back home to Alma. If she only knew...Jack felt pangs of guilt, but wasn't going to let it spoil what he had with Ennis. At times he caught Ennis with a look on his face, and Jack could guess what he was thinking about, Junior no doubt. It was going to be a hard road, but he knew Ennis hadn't been happy for years, and a change had been in the wind for a long, long time.

By the time they got back into the harbor and backed into the slip, Jack had learned more than he thought was possible. It was amazing how much Ennis knew about boats and the skill he exhibited at handling one after all these years. Jack couldn't help but think that he had more trouble backing a car into a parking space than Ennis had backing the boat into that slip. While they were out, Jack felt strong and free as he steered, especially when Ennis came up behind him, wrapping him in his arms. Jack had closed his eyes and let the sun shine down on his face as he breathed in the fresh air and leaned his head back on Ennis, listening to the sounds of the ocean. What a day.

Tomorrow morning before he headed home he'd help Ennis clean up the boat and get groceries. He wished he didn't have to go. Maybe soon, if all worked out like he wanted, he wouldn't have to.

...

That night Ennis took them to one of the restaurants in the area. It was called Tony P's Dockside Grill. As they ate Ennis said, "I'm sure I'll be coming back here. The foods real good, at least this Clams and Pesto Pasta is, and I saw a lot of things on the menu that looked interesting to me."

"These fish & chips are excellent too," Jack said. "Maybe it's all the sea air making us hungry and making things taste so good," he smiled.

"Or the company, "Ennis added." There's even a sports tavern in here. I know I'll be back to take advantage of that."

After returning to the boat, they watched some t.v. and talked a little, but mostly enjoyed the companionable silence. When it came time to turn in, knowing Jack would be going home the next day, the boat was rocking in rhythm in no time.

As they laid in each other's arms late into the night, Ennis was at peace with what he'd done. He even felt like going back to the house the next day rather than waiting till Monday. He missed Junior and worried that she was looking for him and wondering where he'd gone, so didn't want to wait till Monday. He was sure he could be in the same room with Alma without letting her get to him with her disapproving looks and cutting remarks.

This was his life now, the man here in his arms. He didn't know what was in Jack's head concerning the future, but he had a good feeling about it. He saw love in Jack's eyes, that he was sure of. This wasn't just sex to either of them. Jack had said it last night. He said he wanted to be with Ennis.  
>It made him smile and feel warm inside to remember how Jack sounded when he'd said that. They had it all, friendship, respect, passion, and best of all, love. They were a winning combination, the two of them. Was Jack ready to leave his wife and son...could this work out?<p>

_Slow __down,__ Ennis_, he said to himself._ Plenty__ of __time __for __all__ this.__ Take __it __one__ step__ at__ a __time_.

Ennis still didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want Alma and Lureen to know that he and Jack had been having an affair. The girls had no clue anything was going on, and if he and Jack were lucky, they could somehow keep it from them, at least for the foreseeable future. It didn't raise suspicion that they were together, even out on a boat all weekend.

At some point, if he and Jack really did get together permanently, he'd like for them to be able to let their families know the true nature of their relationship. He didn't want to have to hide it forever. He just hoped his sister and Jim, and John and Denise would accept them, and yes, that Alma and Lureen would be able to accept them too, and not cause trouble for them being able to be with their kids. If they thought the relationship had grown between them after the separation and divorce, possibly that would work.

Their kids, Junior, ... he needed to see his lawyer this week, no use wasting time. He had questions he needed answered. He'd tell Alma she could file for the divorce, but if she wouldn't, he'd have to, because he wanted this ended. There was no use dragging it on.

And speaking of letting things drag on...he knew he was making excuses about why it wasn't the right time to ask Jack what he was thinking. Before he could get the thoughts out of Jack's head, he'd have to get the words out of his own mouth.

Round about 2:00 a.m., Jack started nibbling on Ennis' neck and nuzzling closer.

"You awake, Jack?" asked Ennis.

"No, still asleep, "Jack said groggily. After a moment of silence he asked, "What's on your mind, friend?"

"Just thinkin'."

"Well, don't hurt yourself."

"Jack, I'm sorta serious."

When Ennis said that it seemed to wake Jack up a little more. He balanced on his elbow and reached out to run his finger across Ennis' cheek. He waited.

Ennis hoped he wasn't going to clam up now. Pretty soon Ennis managed to say in a whisper, "Jack, do you see us ever being together...I mean living together, staying together forever? Do you want that?"

Jack sounded over come with emotion as he spoke. He seemed to have difficulty getting the words out of his mouth, but Ennis heard them loud and clear. He whispered his answer softly onto Ennis' lips simply saying,"There's nothing I want more."

Ennis melted into Jack's soft kiss, then pulled him close, took his hand, and fell asleep on their little boat in paradise.

_To Be Continued..._


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Ennis and Alma found a way to be civil with each other...most of the time anyway. They agreed to try for Junior's sake. Over the next few weeks Ennis had been back to the house several times, and even took Alma and Junior out to see the boat on one occasion. Ennis was careful to hide the candles and a few other things that might cause suspicion. Ennis took note of the fact that Alma didn't complain about the boat or anything else while Junior was with them. Junior acted excited, asking if they could go for a ride, nosing all around the inside. Ennis smiled, and felt happy to know that one day his little girl would be able to share this with him.

He and Alma had discussed joint custody, and during the times she was not ruled by her bitterness and anger, she'd been open to that arrangement, although at first she brought up the fact that Junior was awfully young for a single man to take care of. Ennis set her straight there, so he hoped that when it came right down to it, she wouldn't cause problems. She had seen a lawyer the first week of April, and Ennis had seen his as well. Ennis had no problem whatsoever letting Alma have the house, and she had money of her own and a good job, so he wasn't worried about her at all, and he would provide for Junior, no argument there. He silently thanked Keith many times over for insisting on that prenuptial agreement. Keith had always looked out for him, and Ennis was now reaping the benefits. It shouldn't be too complicated to end this mess of a marriage.

Alma's cooperation in the divorce procedure might have been tied to what he'd heard through the grapevine. She'd been spotted out with a new man, so evidently she was already trying to move on with her life. In one way he was glad, but in another it concerned him because he knew nothing about this man. He needed to know what kind of person might be around his daughter. He didn't feel comfortable bringing the subject up with Alma, at least not just yet. He might ask Susan, as she'd been the one who had told him in the first place. He hadn't asked then because he'd been taken by surprise, but he was curious and planned to learn more. Susan and Alma hadn't been very close ever since Lureen had come into the picture, but Susan might at least know who this man was. Lureen probably knew something, but being Alma's best friend, he didn't feel that she would be forthcoming with any information, especially since she hadn't even mentioned anything to Jack.

...

Easter Sunday found Jack, Lureen and Bobby on their way to Jack's parent's home to have dinner and Bobby's first Easter egg hunt. Six weeks short of his birthday, he'd be able to walk a little to find the eggs, and could crawl at an alarming rate. There was little conversation during the drive, Bobby the one making the most noise by far.

Jack had come right to the point a few days before about what he felt the future of their marriage was. He'd taken Lureen out, and told her in the restaurant. He thought maybe it was chicken of him to do it in a public place, but at least he'd gotten it done.

Jack had placed his hand over Lureen's on the table and tried to look her in the eye as he nervously said, "Lureen, my life isn't the way I imagined it was gonna be. I mean, well, my career, that's going great, that's not the part I mean." He paused to gather his courage and quietly said, "It's our marriage. It's not really a marriage, you know that, and I doubt you're satisfied with it anymore than I am." Pausing again, wondering what she was thinking, he continued without mincing any words. "We're in a rut and it's not going to change. I want out."

Lureen stared at him for a few uncomfortable moments, then placed her other hand on his and said, "We just didn't know each other well enough before we got together." She sighed and a small smile found its way to her lips. "We did a lot of stupid things didn't we?" Her smile got wider and with a slight waver in her voice she said, "But that son of ours, well, I wouldn't trade him for anything." Jack thought he saw a tear in her eye but she quickly blinked it away as she said, "It's okay, Jack, you're right, I'm not happy living like we have been either."

The bottom line was she had readily agreed that they shouldn't have gotten married and were better off as friends, which they both wanted to remain. It had all been very amicable, assuring each other they'd work something out suitable to both.

Jack thought to himself that he should have listened to Ennis when he'd advised him to live together first and see how things went. But he shouldn't complain, he was damn lucky that Lureen was the kind of person she was, and that it seemed like they'd be able to end things on friendly terms. What he worried about was his parent's reaction, especially his dad's.

He couldn't wait to move out of the house, and planned to the following week. First he had to help Lureen hire a nanny. She said she needed one now more than ever. They'd interviewed a couple of ladies so far, but hadn't found one that Lureen clicked with yet. He hoped that they could get it sorted out so he could get on with his plans.

The first chance he got after his and Lureen's dinner conversation he had called Ennis to tell him how it had gone. Ennis had told him to come on out to the boat when he was ready to leave. He said that it might be a little cramped but they'd manage. Jack planned on doing just that, and since warmer weather was on the horizon, it shouldn't be too bad living on the boat. He wondered what they might decide to do long term. Well, first things first, he told himself. He knew it was all going to work out.

He and Ennis had met up at the studio for lunch and "dessert" the day after he'd told Lureen. They had quite a little celebration that afternoon. Jack had been out to the boat a couple weeks before that, but he needed more of Ennis than he'd been getting, and could hardly wait to get out to Marina Del Rey full time.

Jack pulled the Land Rover into his parent's drive-way and braced himself for this holiday spent with family. He had told Lureen that if the timing seemed right, he was going to tell his folks the situation and she was fine with that.

As they reached the front door they were greeted by John and Denise. "Welcome, Happy Easter," Denise said, giving Lureen a hug. John took Bobby from Jack's arms, as he said, "It's always a happy day when I get to spend it with my grandson."

Jack and Lureen followed Denise into the family room to join Harold and Betty. John was right behind them with Bobby. Jack was grateful that it would just be family.

"Your dad is so excited about spending Easter with Bobby," Harold said as he got up to pat Jack on the back and give Lureen a hug. "I'm looking forward to watching that young man hunt for eggs myself," he said in his loud, jolly voice. "Hello, Bobby," Harold said as he shook the boy's hand.

Even Aunt Betty was more upbeat than usual and said, "I'm looking forward to the Easter egg hunt too."

Jack noticed she didn't smile when saying that. In fact, thinking back he had hardly ever seen her smile. There was such a contrast between her and Harold. At least her snide remarks hadn't started.

"The backyard is ready for the Easter egg hunt," Denise said. "Why don't we do that first while it's still warm out, and have our dinner afterward."

Watching Bobby crawl around trying to gather eggs made everyone laugh. Jack helped him, and every once in awhile Bobby would get himself up onto his feet and start running, but would fall after a few steps. While watching Bobby have fun, they ate cheese and crackers and had drinks. Besides the eggs in the yard, Jack's mom and dad had a big Easter basket for Bobby with more candy and some toys inside. Harold and Betty presented him with a huge stuffed bunny.

"He's a lucky little boy," Lureen said, thanking everyone, and trying to teach Bobby to say thank-you.

"You're more than welcome, sweetie," Denise said, as she put her arm around Lureen and gave her a little squeeze. "I'll bet your parents want to see him again. He's growing so fast, already changing from when they saw him over New Years."

"Yes, they're anxious to see him again. In fact, they're planning to come out this summer," Lureen said.

Denise excused herself to check on the food and came back shortly announcing that they could eat. They all found their way into the dining room where she had set the table beautifully. The table cloth, place mats and napkins were a pastel spring print with solid yellow to coordinate. Napkin rings with a spring motif finished off the look. Denise used her good china. In the center of the table was a large basket accented with a yellow bow filled with freshly cut lilies, babies breath and greenery. Pastel candles in white porcelain holders were the finishing touch.

The meal consisted of leg of lamb with mint jelly, Parisienne Potatoes, Asparagus with lemon, Mesclun mix salad, dinner rolls and red and white wine. Jack and Lureen sat opposite Harold and Betty, with Bobby next to Lureen in a high-chair. Lureen fed him what he was able to eat. John and Denise were at opposite ends of the table. For dessert, a Coconut cake shaped like a rabbit was served. Bobby started bouncing and reaching for the cake while making cooing sounds.

"I wonder if Bobby can tell it's shaped like a rabbit?" Lureen laughed.

"Maybe he has his dad's sweet tooth," John laughed.

"Did you get it from the bakery, mom?" Jack asked, ignoring John's kidding.

"No, your aunt Betty baked it," Denise said, smiling at Betty.

"It's very impressive, Aunt Betty. It looks professionally done." Jack said.

Harold said to Betty, "Maybe this will encourage you to do some more baking. That would sure be nice!"

"Harold, you don't really need any more baked goods," Betty said, glancing at his mid section.

"Hummmm, I'll have to ask Jack how he keeps his mid section under control," Harold said, patting his own stomach.

Despite the kidding, Harold and the others ate generous pieces of the cake, all giving Betty many compliments. Bobby had his share as well, getting plenty on his bib. All in all, the holiday hadn't been half bad. Jack was thinking to himself, _why spoil it, maybe I'd better just keep quiet about me and Lureen for now_.

As it turned out, Jack did bring up the subject of his crumbling marriage. After Harold and Betty had left, and Lureen, Bobby and Denise were in the kitchen, Jack ended up alone with his dad in the family room.

John said, "I guess you're not much looking forward to Lureen's folks visiting this summer."

This was an opportunity to tell him, so Jack mustered all his courage and said, "Well...I'm not gonna have to see much of them, if any at all."

"Oh? Will you be away on a shoot? Last summer you lucked out and were away. Don't tell me you got lucky again this year," John said with a smile.

Jack nearly lost his nerve, but knew it would have to come out sooner or later, so he sat forward on the couch and said with some effort, "Dad, there's no easy way to say this...Lureen and I are going our separate ways."

To say John looked shocked was an understatement. "What are you talking about? Why would you say something like that? We all just had a nice Easter holiday together, Bobby hunted eggs...you and Lureen seemed happy." John was visibly upset and got to his feet, running a hand through his hair.

Jack stood up and tried to calm him down by touching him on the arm saying, "Come on, Dad, sit down. Calm down."

John jerked away and said in an agitated voice, "Jack, your son will be a year old next month!"

Jack looked down at his feet and said, "What does that have to do with anything?"

John became angrier, raised his voice and said, "What does that have to do with anything? You tell me you're going to walk out on your wife and son, and you ask what does Bobby have to do with it? You haven't changed at all, have you?"

Jack stared at his dad, not knowing what to say, probably couldn't have spoken anyway, even if he'd known what to say. He wondered why he was surprised by this. Why was he so stupid to think he might get some support from his dad for once in his life?

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Jack?" John snapped.

"Nothing I say will make any difference to you, Dad," Jack said, keeping his voice low at first, but then he lost his temper and shouted, "You think you know it all...you think you know how everything should be...how everyone should run their lives...you want everyone to do what _you_ think is best. Well, you don't know, have _never_ known what is best for me! In fact, you don't care what's best for me! Lureen and I should never have gotten married. We both see that, and we're ending it while we can still be friends. It has nothing to do with Bobby...I am not turning my back on my son."

John stood silent with a disgusted look on his face and finally said, "Let's keep our voices down. I don't want to upset your mother...I guess you'll be leaving now."

"Guess so," was all Jack said.

When Jack found Lureen, he was relieved when it seemed obvious that she and his mom were unaware of any of the conversation that had taken place in the family room. His mom's face immediately showed concern though, as she looked into Jack's eyes. He knew that she could tell he was upset, and Lureen could as well. Lureen must have figured out what had gone down because she asked no questions, just quickly gathered up Bobby's things. With Jack's help the three of them hurried out as quickly as possible. John joined them at the door and gave Bobby a kiss good-bye, and hugged and kissed Lureen. Denise did the same, and it looked like she started to ask a question, but much to Jack's relief she didn't. He could only imagine how his dad would have exploded if she had said anything.

...

After Jack helped Lureen tuck Bobby in, he was at loose ends. He'd given Lureen the blow by blow report of how his dad had taken the news of their impending split, and he just couldn't sit still and relax. He felt that if he didn't have a migraine over this, maybe they really were gone. He didn't know exactly when his last one had been, but knew he hadn't had one in the new year, and three months without was unheard of. He wanted to go out to the boat, so he finally told Lureen he was going, and promised to be back in the morning in plenty of time to meet the next candidate for nanny. She was fine with that, as long as he was back in time.

Jack gave Ennis a call before he started the Land Rover. "How was Easter?" he asked when Ennis answered his cell.

"Better now that you called," he said. "Was over at the house and had an Easter egg hunt for Junior."

"Yeah, Bobby had one at the folk's."

Even though Jack was trying to sound normal, Ennis asked, "Are you okay, bud?"

"Yeah, fine...I was thinking of coming out there tonight, that okay?"

"Course it's okay, bring your stuff and move in if you want."

"I'm planning to do just that this week," Jack smiled though the phone. "But I'll just bring myself and overnight bag tonight."

The conversation ended with Ennis saying, "See you soon."

In just over a half hour Jack was briskly walking to the boat from where he'd parked. He was so glad to be in Ennis' arms when he got inside. He tightened his grip more than usual. The way Ennis held on, Jack wondered if he could tell something was wrong. If he could, he didn't ask and Jack was glad of it. He felt like taking some time before getting into that unpleasantness.

"You in the mood for a beer?"

Jack felt tired and drained and said, "Sure am."

They sat in silence drinking their beer, as "Cold Case" played on the t.v.

After a short while, Jack began telling Ennis about his day. Ennis turned off the t.v. and gave Jack his undivided attention as he listened to what had happened at Jack's folk's place. Jack rubbed his eyes, the stress and sadness feeling like a weight.

"You think he told your mom after you left?"

"I'm sure he did."

"Well, maybe she'll get him to see how out of line he was," Ennis said in an encouraging voice.

"Never was able to before," Jack said, sounding defeated.

"You need a good night's sleep. Why don't you get ready for bed?" Ennis said.

Jack looked into Ennis' sympathetic eyes, not saying anything for a few seconds, then with his eyes still locked on Ennis' said, "I do need sleep, that's a fact, but I need something first that only you can give me."

Ennis' pants were bulging as he glanced down at his lap and said, "You sure know how to get me going." A smile crept onto his face. He swallowed, got up, reached for Jack's hand and the two of them slipped off to bed.

When Ennis turned around after switching the candles on, Jack was right there, unable to wait another second, crashing into him and causing both of them to fall onto the bed. He started pulling at Ennis' shirt buttons and kissing his neck. Ennis helped him get the shirt off as Jack got his own off in one motion over his head.

Jack rolled onto Ennis, kissing him hard, managing to get out, "Ennis, I need you."

"You got me, Jack," was all Ennis said.

As soon as they were free of all of their clothes, and had the bed covers yanked back, Jack began kissing Ennis deeply, sucking on his tongue and nipping on his lips. Frenzied breathing filled the room. Jack loved the sensation of his hard cock rubbing on Ennis'.

Within a few minutes Jack slowed down, reached for the lube and got himself ready. He wanted to look at Ennis' face as they made love so he slowly lifted Ennis' legs over his shoulders. He took one of Ennis' hands in his as he slowly entered him. His eyes locked on Ennis' the whole time. Ennis' moans were music to his ears and the look on Ennis' face fueled his fire. After Jack was in as far as he could go, he closed his eyes and started moving slow and steady. Both of them were gasping, Ennis moving with Jack, their hearts beating in sync. Jack let go of Ennis' hand and balanced himself as he took Ennis' cock in hand, and started to stroke. Jack worked his magic on Ennis, making him groan and moan uncontrollably, causing incoherent sounds to escape his mouth. Just before Ennis went off, he managed to choke out, "Fuck, Jack," and "Jesus Christ." That just pushed Jack closer to the brink.

"I'm not gonna last much longer," Jack huffed out, and that was it, he was shooting before the words had left his lips. His whole body was in spasms as he joined Ennis in a few cuss words. It was all Jack could do to balance there and wait till they had experienced every last ounce of pleasure. He felt Ennis tighten up to hold him in. He wanted to stay as long as he could, it felt so good and he'd needed it so bad. Despite both of their efforts to keep connected, he finally softened and fell out.

They untangled themselves and Jack collapsed onto Ennis' chest, snuggling close, nuzzling his neck. He let a few words slip out of his mouth, but they were said low and not very clear. Ennis couldn't be sure, but it sounded like Jack said, "I love you, Ennis." Jack dropped off to sleep within seconds. Ennis went over in his mind what he thought he'd heard Jack say, wondering...and hoping, that it actually was what it sounded like.

After a short time, Ennis got up to use the bathroom. When he was finished he found that Jack was waiting his turn. It wasn't long till they were wrapped in each other's arms, settling in for a good night's sleep...but then Jack's cell phone rang.

"Shit," Jack said. "Who could that be? What time is it...10:30." He reached for it and said, "My old man."

Jack answered, "Dad?"

Ennis couldn't hear what John was saying, just what Jack said, and it sounded like John was making arrangements to meet the next day. After Jack hung up he said, "He wants to meet me at the studio tomorrow afternoon...says we need to talk. Shit, I thought he said all he needed to at the house."

"Maybe he wants to apologize," Ennis said, with a hopeful look on his face.

"Somehow I don't think so."

"Well, what else could it be? Like you said, he said it all at the house. If I was guessing, I'd say he thought better of it and is sorry about what he said and that's why he called." He reached out and wrapped his arms around Jack as he snuggled up to his back as Jack sat on the edge of the bed. "Don't worry, it's gonna be alright," Ennis whispered.

Ennis hoped it would be. Jack didn't deserve his dad's anger. He was doing the best he could. Had always done the best he could. John was the one with the problem, not his Jack.

They lay down and held each other close, drifting off to sleep.

...

Breakfast was short and uneventful the next morning. Both had places they had to be.

"See you back here tonight?" Ennis asked.

"Yeah, I'll bring some stuff and be here."

"Call me and let me know what's up with your daddy after you've seen him."

"Okay, whatever happens, I'll let you know."

Before they left, Ennis gave Jack a hug and kiss. Jack drew the strength he would need to face his day from Ennis' strong and reassuring arms.

First thing Jack had on his mind was the meeting with Lureen and the nanny. Hiring a nanny was more complicated than he ever imagined. Then he had a photo shoot at 11:00 a.m., and the last appointment on his agenda was his dad.

What could his dad want? Had his mom talked some sense into him like Ennis suggested may have happened? Who was he trying to kid, his mom would be upset about him and Lureen too. But being upset, and acting like his dad had, were two different things. He could count on his mom for support, he knew that. Looking back, he wished he'd told her, and not his dad. That was stupid on his part. _What's done is done. Put it out of your mind till he gets here this afternoon_.

Jack was nervous, but ticked off too. Why could he never get any support from his old man? Why had he always been this way? Well, Jack knew many reasons, but were they really enough for a man to treat his son this badly all these years? Maybe it didn't matter if they got over this hurdle because with his dad's attitude, always expecting him to be a certain way and do certain things, when the truth came out about him and Ennis; he could never see his dad accepting that. Maybe it would hurt less to cut ties with him now.

He thought of his dad...he wondered, was there some other reason besides the ones Jack had thought of over the years...some other reason he seemed to dislike him so much, was so impatient with him, tried to carve out a path for him to do what _John_ wanted and not what Jack ever did? Did he have an inner sense of what his son really was? Did he know long before Jack did? Is that why John had it out for him since he was born? Jack shook his head...how could John have known that when he was a baby? No, that's not it, can't be. _I'm just trying to make excuses for him, and there's no excuse_. Jack could never imagine treating Bobby in the way he had been treated his whole life. Jack didn't have much more time to think because his dad arrived just when he said he would.

John looked like he hadn't slept all night. He looked nervous. At least he didn't look mad like he did the night before.

"Hi, Jack," was all he said.

"Hi." Come in, have a seat...can I get you anything?"

"You don't have to be polite. I'm sure you're feeling anything but friendly toward me right now."

"Dad...I don't know what to feel."

John remained silent, and Jack considered torturing him by saying nothing and forcing him to start, but part of him felt bad for the man, why, he had no idea. He asked, "Did you tell mom about me and Lureen?"

"Yes, I did, and she chewed me out severely for having gotten so angry with you. I owe you an apology."

"Dad, I..."

John interrupted with, "Jack, for once, just listen." After gathering his thoughts he said, "I should never have gone off on you last evening like I did. You caught me totally by surprise. Once I calmed down and talked with your mother, I was able to see things more clearly. I'm your father...and I should be supportive of you even though I may be disappointed and upset by what you're doing." He hesitated before continuing. "Since you've been home from New York I've discovered how much I missed you when you were gone. I also realized how much I've lost by not having you in my life...We lost so many years, and I don't want to lose any more." With tears in his eyes he went on, "So regardless of what happens in the future, I'll do my best to be supportive, and you can count on that."

Jack hugged his dad and said, "Thanks, Dad." That's all he could get out as he thought of the future and wondered if the next revelation in his life story would be more than his dad could support.

_To Be Continued..._


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Ennis and Jack had pizza delivered for dinner from Frankie & Johnny's New York Pizza. That afternoon, just after his dad had left the studio, Jack had called to ease Ennis' mind about the meeting. Tonight they felt like celebrating.

"I have no idea what dad will do or say if and when the truth about us comes out, so maybe we shouldn't go overboard on the celebrating," Jack said as Ennis toasted with his beer as they began to eat.

"We should take every opportunity to celebrate stuff, Jack. Need to make the most of even little things." After Ennis surprised himself by saying that, a funny look came over his face as he said, "I think I'm turning into you, and you're turning into me." They both chuckled.

"You're right. We should be happy...it could have been a lot worse."

Thinking of the time when Jack's folks would find out about them made Ennis think of Anna and Jim being told, and he didn't want Jack to know how concerned he was about that. He couldn't bear to think that his sister could turn her back on him. She had been saddened to hear of his marriage problems, but she and Jim were supportive and understanding. They were that kind of people he told himself...there'd be nothing to worry about.

Jack and Ennis agreed that the pizza was delicious, and that they'd be ordering from there again. "The Waterfront delivers too," Ennis said. "We're probably going to have to make use of those places...that, and going out...that is, unless you wanna learn to cook and help me out on that score."

"Well, I'm game to try if you're really serious," Jack said. "I know it wouldn't compare to the fine dishes you make, but I'm willing to try my hand at feeding us."

Ennis smiled and said, "That would be great. I'm lookin' forward to it."

Later that night they watched t.v. When the news started, Ennis said, "I'm gonna go up on deck for a minute to get some fresh air."

Jack just nodded, and continued to watch t.v.

Ennis was glad that Jack took the hint that he needed some time alone. He still had his sister on his mind, as well as thoughts of what other people would say and think when they found out about him and Jack. He knew they couldn't stay on the boat indefinitely...would it cause suspicion when they moved into a permanent place together? Would they get an apartment, or buy a house? He'd rather get a house, but surely there'd be questions about that..._why are you buying a house together...what happens if one of you wants to remarry?_Shit, he wished he could get those voices to stop.

He'd brought a cigar out to smoke, and before giving it any thought, was puffing on it. It was rare that he ever smoked one, but when he got nervous he tended to need it. _Shit, I'll be all smelly for Jack,_ he thought. _How stupid can I be?_Well, harms already been done he figured, so continued smoking.

When he got back inside, Jack glanced up at him and smiled. "I been missin' you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah...thought you just might wanna take me ta bed." Jack smiled a seductive smile, poking his tongue out, wetting his lips.

There was nothing that Ennis would rather do than take that man to bed, but damn, he was worried as he recalled how Alma acted if she even saw a cigar, let alone if he came near her when he'd smoked one.

Jack stood up and came close. He rubbed his face next to Ennis' and started to kiss him on the cheek, going close to his lips. "Hummm, you been smokin' a cigar?"

Ennis didn't know what to say, and before he could answer, Jack snuggled even closer, breathing in deeply as he ran his hands up Ennis' back.

"Uh, yeah, I smoked when I was up on deck...sorry, Jack, maybe I can get some mouthwash or something."

"It's alright, I don't mind," Jack said, as he got as close as he could.

Ennis was more than pleasantly surprised, and was able to relax and get into what was happening. They were barely able to make it back to the bed before clothes started to come off.

...

Sometimes Ennis felt like he was living a dream, lying in bed with Jack after they'd made love. Tonight had been fantastic...more than fantastic. He basked in the quiet, with the dim, romantic light from their candles flickering peacefully. They'd barely gotten them lit as turned on as he'd been when they'd gotten to the bed. It was Jack this time who stopped to slide the switches on and get the bed covers down. Ennis had other things on his mind. Jesus, he could hardly stand it; Jack was so sexy. He'd gotten a little rough but Jack didn't seem to mind, as long as there were no marks left on his neck. There hadn't been a repeat of that yet, not on their necks anyway. As Ennis was enjoying the quiet, holding Jack close, it came to an end when Jack just had to start talking.

"What was in that cigar you smoked anyway?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Seemed ta bring out the animal in you."

Ennis let out a choked laugh, "Me? What about you?"

"I'm always horny, Ennis, you seemed a little extra...amorous tonight."

"That so? You're not complaining, are you?"

"Hell no...I was just saying." Jack sounded like he was ready to fall asleep.

"I wore you out, huh?"

"Sure did, friend."

"You okay? No more headaches yet, huh?"

"No, not since sometime before Christmas."

"Hummmm, that's good, real good. You doin' something different?" Ennis blushed, realizing what a silly question that was.

"Only one thing I know of that's been different," Jack laughed softly. Ennis almost thought he'd fallen asleep, but in a few seconds Jack said lazily, "Not only are you fuckin' my brains out, but looks like you got rid of the migraines while you were in there."

That caused Ennis to chuckle. "Jack Fuckin' Twist," was the last thing he whispered before he drifted off to sleep, but his last thought was, "I love you."

...

The next day Jack called his mom from the studio. He hadn't spoken to her since Easter, and wondered what she would say about his marriage breaking up, as well as what had gone on between he and his dad. He also had a cooking question, so he hoped that by seeking out her advice, it might help ease the way into a conversation that wasn't all unpleasant.

After he had her on the phone and they'd both said hello and how are you, Jack said, "I guess Dad told you what I told him on Easter, and why I had to leave so fast that evening. I'm sorry I had to run out on you, Mom."

"That's alright, I understand. I'm awfully sorry and sad to hear about you and Lureen."

"Thanks, but it's what we both want and need. No use dragging it out."

"Of course...but it's hard, especially when a child is involved." Jack remained silent so his mom continued, "Your dad regretted his outburst that night, more than you know."

"Well, at least after you talked to him, I guess," Jack said, trying to laugh a little and lighten the mood.

"He was regretful before I talked to him. I could tell something was very wrong, not only because of the way you left, but by how he looked and acted. He wasn't just upset by your news, but because of the way he reacted. He called you that night on his own. I didn't tell him to."

"Okay, if you say so."

"I do say so," she said firmly. "Anyway, since he spoke with you yesterday, I've noticed a marked change in him. He seems at peace with himself. I haven't seen him look this relaxed and happy in a long, long time."

Jack let that sink in for a moment, and wasn't sure it had anything to do with him, but he hoped so. All he said was, "That's good, Mom."

"You'll see, Jack, what I'm saying is true...by the way, we want to let you know you are welcome to come out here and stay. Stay as long as you want. I don't know what your plans are, but I hope you know you are more than welcome. Your dad forgot to tell you that yesterday, but he wants you here as much as I do. We assume you're staying at the studio? Or are you still at the house with Lureen and Bobby?"

"I'm staying with Ennis right now, out in Marina Del Rey on his boat."

"Well, that can't be the ideal situation. Must be a little crowded, even for one. Why don't you tell Ennis he's welcome to stay here too, till he makes permanent plans? We have plenty of room for you both. Your dad would be fine with it, you know that. Ennis could stay in one of the guest rooms, and you could have your old room..."

Before she could go on, Jack stopped her and said, "Mom, I appreciate it, and Ennis will too when I tell him, but we're fine...really, it's working out alright, and it won't be for that long. We're going to start making plans soon. For right now though, it feels good there."

"I guess the two of you have a lot in common. Been such close friends for the past couple of years. It's such a coincidence how both of your marriages broke up so close together. It's a shame."

"Mom..."

"I know, I know, it's just sad is all. But these things happen, and we have to move on."

"Mom, there's one other thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"What's that, honey?"

"Well, since I'm staying out there with Ennis, I was wanting to maybe do some cooking now and then...but, I have no real idea of how to cook...not much anyway...I was wondering, could you tell me how potato salad is made?"

His mom gave an amused laugh and went on to tell him how to prepare potato salad. Jack jotted the instructions down and told her he would stop at the grocery store on his way out to the boat and buy what he needed. He was planning to make burgers on the hibachi along with the salad.

Their conversation ended shortly after, with his mom making him promise to keep in touch regularly.

...

When Ennis got home from work, he was met with the sight of Jack on the deck getting the hibachi ready. They'd raised the sides of the weather enclosure a week before, and cleaned off the table and chairs.

"Hi," Ennis smiled. "What's the occasion?"

"No occasion really, but we don't need a special occasion to have a nice dinner, do we? Just thought I'd start pitching in around here, try and cook once in awhile." Jack's voice didn't sound too confident, making Ennis wonder about this attempt at dinner, but he tried to be optimistic, and the sight of Jack cooking did appeal to him. The sight of Jack doing other things after dinner appealed to him too.

"What are we gonna have?"

"I thought I'd make burgers...and I got off work early so I made a potato salad."

"You did? Well...that sounds real good. I'm impressed."

"Maybe you'd better wait and taste it before you say if you're impressed," Jack said, and Ennis was a little worried because Jack didn't sound too sure of himself.

Ennis went to change clothes and peaked into the refrigerator out of curiosity. There was indeed a bowl with what looked like potato salad in it. He wondered if Jack was pulling his leg and had bought it at the deli and was going to try and pass it off as homemade. He smiled to himself. He also saw hamburger, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles...everything they'd need to make their burgers. He hoped that Jack had remembered to buy the buns. He looked into the small bread box and there they were. It looked like Jack had everything well under control. He guessed it would be his turn to cook tomorrow night, and wondered what he should make for Jack.

After the burgers were grilling, Jack called out to Ennis, "You want to eat up here or down in the galley?"

"Maybe we'd better eat inside. It cools down pretty fast without the sun and you usually get cold," Ennis answered. "I'll set the table."

Jack's cooking was edible which was a relief to both of them. Nothing went to waste. Ennis said the salad had a good flavor, but took pleasure in teasing Jack about the fact that some of the potatoes were a little bit hard.

"You just need to cook them a little longer next time. Anyway, I don't mind hard things." Ennis could tell by Jack's smile that the inference wasn't lost on him.

Ennis appreciated the work that Jack had gone to with dinner. Together they cleaned up the galley, and then Ennis suggested that they take a walk instead of watching t.v. They enjoyed the crisp April air and each other's company.

They cut the walk short, and with other things on their minds, headed straight to bed. They both felt like they just couldn't get enough of each other. As Ennis sucked Jack's dick, the thought crossed his mind how far he'd come since the first time he'd done that. Jack too, for that matter. They'd learned to anticipate each others movements. Now, they couldn't imagine not riding out the frenzy of spasms and swallowing every last drop of the hot, salty liquid as it came squirting out.

After Jack gave Ennis his turn, and they'd both been satisfied with mind-blowing orgasms, they held each other as their hearts beat in time. Ennis couldn't imagine life without Jack. Whatever it took, he knew a good thing when he saw it, and wasn't going to mess this up. Whatever obstacles they encountered, they'd figure a way to overcome them.

"Jack," whispered Ennis.

"Uh huh," Jack answered.

As Ennis kissed the top of Jack's head, on the tip of his tongue were the words, "I love you," but instead he said, "You want some ice cream before we go to sleep?"

"That sounds good. I bought some more today."

In the galley, Ennis anticipated a strange flavor of ice cream to come out of the freezer. To his surprise Jack had bought Butter Pecan.

"You got Butter Pecan," Ennis said with a half smile.

"I know your favorite kind of ice cream," Jack grinned.

Jack scooped some into dishes. As Ennis ate he said, "I'm so used to a strange flavor, this is different."

"Good or bad different?"

"Well, it's good, real good, but maybe those kinds I been picking out for you aren't too bad after all. I'm kinda used to them. Cookie Dough, Cinnamon Buns, Candy Bar Whirl..."

Jack chuckled. After a minute he asked, "You know how to make cheesecake?"

"I've made it on occasion, why?"

"Oh, I don't know, just thought maybe sometime you might make one."

"Might be better to wait till we have a bigger kitchen. Would make it easier. I'd need a spring form pan and we don't have one here...There's a Cheesecake Factory nearby though; we should go there one of these nights."

"There is? Yeah, we need to go there."

When they were about finished with their ice cream, Ennis noticed that Jack had a serious look on his face. "What's on your mind, bud?"

"I was just thinking about what you said..."

Ennis looked at Jack and waited for him to go on. When he didn't he asked, "Yeah? What part of what I said?"

"The part about us having a bigger kitchen...What did you mean by that?"

"What do you mean what did I mean? I meant a bigger kitchen, you know, with a bigger oven and stove, maybe a center island. Cupboards, drawers, counter space to store every kind of pot, pan, utensil and fancy cooking gadget there is...something modern and functional."

"Room for spring form pans...whatever they are," Jack smiled.

Jack became serious again and asked, "Ennis, you're thinking of us moving into a permanent place?"

"Of course I'm thinking of that. We can't stay here forever. Where would you put your piano?"

That brought a smile to both of their faces. "Ennis, should we start looking around then...for a place for us to move to?"

"Guess we should. Would like to be in it by fall, winter at the latest, and it might take awhile to find something."

"Are you talking a house or..."

"What do you think, what would work best?"

Jack swallowed and said, "I think we should get a house, something with rooms for the kids...something real homey and warm, a nice yard..."

Ennis broke in with, "Maybe we can even get a dog, what do you think?"

Jack's eyes nearly teared up as he said, "A dog, I'd like that...maybe even a cat?"

"Cats are real nice too, that is if it can get along with the dog."

They rinsed their bowls, and in no time were back in bed in each other's arms, letting the plans for the future lull them to sleep.

_To Be Continued..._


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Spring was going well for Jack and Ennis, even considering the fact that both of their divorces had been filed, or maybe because of it. It had been a relief when their wives filed quickly; however, it was a sad event and a stressful time. They were in it together though, and each knew what the other was going through, and they were a source of strength and support for each other. Their relationship was becoming more solid and strong as the days and weeks went on.

Both couple's divorces were uncomplicated and would be final in the fall. Three of the four involved were satisfied with how things were progressing. Alma had tried to get around the prenuptial agreement but found that she wasn't able to without risking her inheritance so had backed down.

Mother's Day was around the corner and Alma and Lureen felt like they needed a break, so arrangements had been made for the kids to spend that weekend with their dads. Jack and Ennis didn't mind at all. In fact, they were excited and were looking forward to it. This was the first time the kids would stay overnight with them. They'd made sure to have everything they needed to care for a one year old, and a nearly three year old.

They'd spent the previous weekend childproofing the boat, especially making sure that Junior wouldn't be able to open the door and go up on deck on her own. According to the girls, Junior had gotten a bit mischievous. When she was with Bobby, she had him following along as her partner in crime. He was able to walk a little better everyday.

As Jack and Ennis finished dinner the night before the babysitting weekend, Jack cleared his throat and said, "Ennis, can we talk?"

"Sure...what about?" Ennis was afraid that he knew what was coming, and he didn't like to disappoint Jack, but he didn't feel comfortable agreeing to what Jack wanted.

"Just wondering if maybe you've changed your mind about coming to my folk's place on Mother's Day. I really want you to go, and Mom would love it too."

"Oh, sure, Jack. Your mama would just love you bringing me there with another child in tow...on Mother's Day no less, a day she should get to rest."

"Come on, she wouldn't feel that way. She loves kids, and she loves you too."

"She loves her grandson and her son. It's a day for family."

"You're family, Ennis...I mean, hell, it's like we're married...I feel like we are."

"Well, then you're committing adultery cause you're not divorced yet. I'm not either for that matter. And even if you feel that way...your folks don't know that, do they?"

Jack didn't have anything to say to that. He looked sad, and Ennis could see the wheels turning in his mind, probably trying to come up with some new arguments to get Ennis to agree.

"I know Mom and Dad would like to see us and have the kids. It doesn't mean they'd have to do anything extra. We'd take care of Junior and Bobby, they wouldn't have to."

"And what would we do there? Make your mama cook for us on Mother's Day?"

"I told you before, we can take them out."

"To McDonald's? Where else would we go with a one and three year old where they wouldn't cause a scene?"

"Ennis, Bobby will still be along causing a scene even if you and Junior aren't there."

"But you're her family."

"The more the merrier. I know my folks would feel that way. Just think about it a little more." When Ennis didn't answer, Jack went on to say, "If you don't go, me and Bobby aren't going either."

That caused Ennis to get riled up. "Jack, don't be stupid. Of course you're gonna visit your mama on Mother's Day!"

"Not if you aren't with me."

Ennis sighed and gave Jack a hard stare, but didn't comment further.

Later, after they'd made love, Ennis felt so damn good that his heart wanted to burst out of his chest. He knew that Jack hadn't been happy with him earlier, but that hadn't stopped his Jack from giving of himself like he always did...giving all he had to Ennis. Suddenly Ennis felt guilty. Jack wasn't asking much, him and Junior spending Mother's Day with Jack's mama. Hell, Ennis would get more out of doing that than Jack or anyone else would...and when it came right down to it, he'd do anything for Jack. Why had he been being so damn stubborn?

"Jack," whispered Ennis.

When he got no answer he thought, _shit, he's asleep already. _He ran his hand up Jack's arm trying to gently wake him.

"Baby, you awake?"

"Hummmm, yeah, I'm here...what's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter...just wanna talk's all."

Jack rose up to look down at Ennis with sleepy eyes that looked so sexy to Ennis that he was almost hypnotized.

After a moment Ennis said, "Shit, Jack, you know I'd do anything for you, don't you?" He reached up to touch Jack on the lips as he spoke.

Jack smiled, "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying yes, I'll go with you to your mama's on Mother's Day, me and Junior."

Jack broke into a wide grin and whispered, "Thanks, Ennis," as he leaned in to give him a soft kiss.

Ennis sure didn't regret telling Jack that he'd go with him on Mother's Day as he felt the joy brimming over in that kiss. Then the words, "I love you," slipped out of Jack's mouth.

It nearly took Ennis' breath away to hear those words and see the look in Jack's eyes as he'd said them. But then Ennis saw a surprised look on Jack's face, and not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, he gazed right into those blue eyes of his and said, "Love you too." He lifted his head off of the pillow to meet Jack in another kiss.

"Come close," Ennis muttered as the kiss ended. He pulled Jack to his chest and said low, "snuggle with me." After a few quiet moments he said, "Remind me to agree to go to your folk's place more often."

Jack laughed softly and ran his hand down Ennis' chest. He found Ennis' hand and took it in his.

As they lay there waiting for sleep to overtake them, Jack started talking about Mother's Day. "Maybe I can ask Dad to barbecue and maybe we could take the other dishes over there, you know, make them here...or you could make something in Mom's kitchen...yeah, that would work, don't you think? I could watch the kids and visit Mom while you and Dad cook. Maybe we could get a cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory to take over for dessert...and we'll get Mom a bouquet of flowers..."

Ennis kissed Jack on the head and gave him a squeeze. "Your plans sound good. It'll be fun, real fun. We'll have a good weekend, all of us together. Just give it a rest for now...I'm tired. We'll talk about this more tomorrow."

With that they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

...

Things had been going very well since the kid's arrival early Saturday morning. There hadn't been any mishaps or problems. "Let's just hope the good behavior lasts through the day at your folks," Ennis said.

Jack noticed that Ennis seemed a little nervous since he woke up on Sunday and wondered if it was because of the kids or something else.

They'd made breakfast, then got Bobby and Junior dressed. Junior had on a pair of black pants trimmed in turquoise, and a frilly turquoise top. Jack watched as Ennis painstakingly did her hair in two pig tails. Jack dressed Bobby in jeans and a t-shirt that said, "If you think I'm a mess, you should see my daddy."

With a slight smile Ennis asked, "Are you sure you want him wearing that over to your folks?"

"What? Why not?" Jack asked, then smiled a mischievous little smile.

"Jack Fuckin' Twist," Ennis muttered under his breath as he shook his head.

On their way to The Cheesecake Factory, Ennis still appeared to have something on his mind, and it made Jack wonder, and worry a bit.

"You sure you don't wanna help choose the cheesecake?" Jack asked as he got out of the SUV.

"Well, I think I may wish I had, but with two kids to try and haul in and out, I think we're better off doing it this way."

"What are you trying to say, Ennis?"

"Nothing...just that if your taste in cheesecake is anything like your taste in ice cream, we all may be in for some indigestion."

Jack came back with White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. "I picked one that had a fruit name in it cause fruit's good for us," Jack said, looking pleased with himself. "And, I know Mom likes raspberry."

"Well, that sounds like a good choice then." Ennis said. Junior cheered and clapped and Bobby joined her. He was always imitating her, which Junior seemed to delight in.

"You know, Ennis, they have Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake too, and even Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough...and a lot of other good sounding flavors. We gotta come back soon."

"They got any normal cheesecake?" Ennis asked.

"Normal? You mean like plain? Yeah, they have plain cheesecake. Don't tell me you'd pick plain when you could have Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple or Brownie Sundae or Snickers Bar Chunk..."

"Jack, good grief! You're gonna ruin my appetite. I won't be able to cook by the time I get over to your folk's place."

Jack just laughed, and was glad that Ennis seemed to be relaxing a little more.

They pulled into the Twist's driveway at 11:15 a.m. John and Denise came out to help get the kids out of their car seats and into the house, and Ennis and Jack proceeded to gather the cheesecake and groceries.

Before they joined everyone else in the house, Jack asked, "Everything okay, friend?"

"Sure, why?"

"Because you seem like you've got something on your mind that's bothering you," Jack said with a concerned look.

"It's nothin', Jack," but then Ennis added, "I just hope your folks don't get any ideas...you know, about us...me and you...you know what I mean."

"How would they get any ideas? What are you talkin' about?" Jack had a blank look.

Annoyed, Ennis said, "You know what I'm talking about."

"Well, yeah, I know what you mean, but how the hell would they get any ideas? They can't read our minds, and I don't think we're gonna be holding hands or anything while we're here."

"This isn't funny, Jack...I was serious," Ennis replied with a clinched jaw. "Just forget it," Ennis said as he held up his hands in surrender. "It's all fine...I'm fine, you're fine, we're all fine...it's gonna be a good day." Ennis' tone became calmer as he said, "Come on, let's not keep your mama waiting...and I've got to get cooking my famous BLT Pasta Salad." He gave Jack a reassuring smile, grabbed the bag of groceries, and headed into the house.

The level of Ennis' stress had come through loud and clear. Jack paused for a few seconds to gather his thoughts before following him inside with the cheesecake. He realized the importance of not giving off vibes that he and Ennis were more than just good friends.

John had been getting the backyard ready, and had most everything in place. He had marinated chicken that he planned to grill along with some vegetables.

"He wouldn't let me do a thing out there," Denise said, sounding disappointed. "And thank you so much for the lovely flowers. They were delivered this morning." She kissed Jack on the cheek. "And it's so nice having the little ones here. It's a real treat to have those children to play with and spoil."

"Let's get that cheesecake into the refrigerator," John said, and the men went into the kitchen to show Ennis where things were so he could prepare his salad. As Jack helped Ennis get set up he noticed that his mood and paranoia had improved greatly. Cooking always seemed to calm him down.

While Ennis and John tended to the cooking, Jack and Denise stayed with Bobby and Junior in the family room, playing and visiting.

"How are you and Ennis doing out there on the boat, honey?" Denise asked. Before Jack answered she said, "Remember, if you're finding it too crowded, you're welcome to stay here, both of you."

"Thanks, but we're fine for now. If it gets to be too uncomfortable I'll let you know." Jack quickly changed the subject.

The day went exceptionally well. The meal turned out great, and the cheesecake was even a hit with everyone, including Ennis. Junior was a polite little lady the whole time. Bobby ended up messy after eating, despite his bib, and Jack chuckled when his dad made a comment about Bobby's t-shirt. Jack could see how happy having Bobby and Junior there made his folks. They sure did take to this grand-parenting thing, he silently mused. John seemed twenty years younger when he was with the kids. Watching how he played with Bobby, it seemed to Jack that he was trying to make up for what he had missed out on thirty years before. It was good that the kids had a chance to play in the yard since at the boat there wasn't much opportunity for them to play outside.

His parents didn't mention Lureen, which Jack was grateful for. Jack had to bring her name up before the day ended because his mom asked about Bobby's birthday the following week. Jack explained that Lureen planned to spend it with girlfriends and their kids. He would go over that night to give Bobby a gift, but there wouldn't be a party, at least not one he or his folks were invited to.

Before they left, John helped Jack put a large box wrapped in birthday paper into the back of the SUV. They did it on the sly, away from the kid's prying eyes.

As John and Denise watched the group drive away, John asked, "Did you remember to talk to Jack again about the invitation for them to stay here?"

"Jack said it was working out on the boat."

As John stood there deep in thought, he said almost to himself, "So, he's not bothered by the close quarters."

Denise looked at John questioningly, but said nothing.

...

After two days, the kids were back with their mothers, and Jack and Ennis had some serious catching up to do in the bedroom department. Ennis had gotten carried away again and left a mark on Jack's neck causing him to need the make-up. Like last time, Ennis couldn't believe he'd lost his good sense and left a mark. It was as if he wanted everyone to know, but that just couldn't be. Or could it? _Maybe my subconscious mind is trying to tell me something._

Ennis had been glad when Jack hadn't brought up what had happened before lunch on Mother's Day. That got Ennis thinking about the future when they'd be living in their house...what would the plan be for that? Would they stay in separate bedrooms when the kids were there? Would they keep pretending they weren't a couple? Would they start to tell people? The last thing he wanted was for Jack to think he was ashamed of what they had, but sometimes he found it so hard to come to grips with all of this. If he could, their relationship would be a whole lot simpler.

_To Be Continued..._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It was a busy summer juggling work, kids, house hunting, and time together, not to mention Jack had been on a few overnight jobs. Still no headaches though, so that was a big help. For Father's Day, John and Denise had been traveling, so Jack and Ennis had planned a quiet day together. That was changed when Alma and Lureen informed them that they needed a rest on Father's Day to follow up the one they'd had on Mother's Day, so the kids would be with their fathers for that weekend. Well, no matter, it was all good, and Father's Day weekend had been great.

House hunting on the other hand, wasn't going too well. They wanted something in the vicinity of Brentwood Heights so that getting to work and seeing their kids would be simpler, and hadn't found even one serious possibility yet.

Sharing the kids was working out amicably with Alma and Lureen, in fact, the girls seemed relieved to have a way to have a break. By now Ennis knew that the man Alma was seeing was a guy she'd known from work, Monroe Jenson. Ennis had met him once, and said he seemed harmless, so Jack was glad that Ennis wasn't uneasy about this Monroe character being in Alma and Junior's life. Jack told Ennis that Lureen was married to her work, so he didn't expect her to find anyone new any time soon.

Ennis and Jack's birthdays were both in July, so they'd decided to treat themselves by getting away to Big Bear the last weekend of July. John had given Jack an odd look when he'd asked if it was alright to use the cabin, but had handed Jack the key and said it was fine with him. Jack didn't bother to tell Ennis about the vibe he'd gotten from his dad. Ennis was already trying to work through his discomfort with their situation, at times bordering on paranoia, much to Jack's chagrin. Sometimes it seemed like Ennis was coming around and getting used to the idea of the two of them together, and even letting people know at some point, but other times he'd retreat back into his shell. Jack had told Ennis his feelings about the situation. He was fine with telling people now, even his dad, but Ennis wasn't ready, so they'd do it his way, in his time. They hadn't told anyone they were looking for a place to move, but when they found one they'd have to, and let them draw their own conclusions. At least Ennis was willing to go together and look at houses, for as much good as it had done.

They sat on the porch of the cabin in Big Bear drinking beer their first evening there. They thought back to a few of the more unique houses they'd seen. "Remember that master bedroom with the mirrors on the ceiling and walls?" Jack snickered.

"Don't remind me. I could hardly keep a straight face till we got outside by ourselves. Shit, you'd be able to see yourself cum from every possible angle." Ennis couldn't keep from laughing as he thought back.

"I'm sure when we told the Realtor that the house just wasn't quite right, she knew exactly why," Jack chuckled.

Most of the houses didn't have a kitchen that was up to Ennis' standards, others didn't have the right size yard to accommodate kids and a dog. They wanted four, preferably five bedrooms, needed at least a small office space for the both of them...maybe they were being a little picky, but they didn't want to settle for something that wasn't right. Summer was quickly passing, with fall just around the corner. They both knew the boat wasn't the place to spend the cooler months. They were going to have to make a bigger effort to find a house even if it wasn't quite in the area they wanted.

This cabin was nice. The garage and storage area were on ground level. On the left side were stairs leading up to the porch and the entry to the main part of the cabin. Upon entering, the kitchen was to the left, dining room to the right, and through an archway off the dining room was the cozy living room with fireplace. There was one bedroom downstairs, and the one and only bathroom. The stairs off the living room lead to a loft which was partitioned into two bedrooms. The inside of the cabin was done in warm earth tones.

"This is really nice, bud." Ennis said as he leaned back in the chair and put his feet up on the railing. "Did you come here a lot when you were young?"

"We came here some. I was always lonely up here though."

"I wish we'd known each other back then."

"Well, we're together now, and a weekend cozied up with you in this cabin is just what I need."

"Before we get too comfortable, maybe we need to find a place to eat. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned food yet."

"The Old Country Inn used to be a good place to eat," Jack said, and then looked suggestively at Ennis. "We could always have some dessert before dinner...you know, try out the bed?"

"I'm not sure which you like best, sex or food," Ennis chuckled. "Maybe it would be good to work up an appetite."

They wasted no time getting the springs on that bed squeaking. Ennis was giving it to Jack with gusto, and with every thrust the springs sang their squeaky tune. "Jesus, the springs on this bed need oiled!" Ennis said breathlessly.

"I'll be sure and tell dad he needs to take care of that," Jack choked out between moans.

"Don't you dare say that, Jack," Ennis said as he gave Jack an extra hard thrust.

"I was only kidding, Ennis. I'll have a bed spring mechanic come take a look at it," Jack laughed.

"It's not polite to laugh while I'm fuckin' you," Ennis gasped, as he got closer to the finish line.

The moans of pleasure drowned out the sounds of the old bed springs. They came hard and loud, and collapsed, creating one last crescendo of spring squeaks.

Coming down to earth, they relaxed in each other's arms and Ennis said, "Jack, I'm getting too old to talk, laugh and fuck at the same time."

"Thirty five isn't old, what are you talking about? You feel old? Cause I don't...and your dick sure didn't."

"Well, guess I don't feel as old as this bed must be."

They chuckled and held each other, giving soft kisses and caresses.

After they'd satisfied that part of their appetite and were up and dressed, Jack drove them to the restaurant. It had been remodeled since Jack had been there last, and a patio had been added. They sat on the patio, the summer night peaceful with the crickets chirping. The cool mountain air was rejuvenating, and the smell of pine filled their senses.

"They've got a kid's section on the menu," Jack said as he scanned the pages.

"That so? Let me see...Yeah, we'll have to remember that."

"Maybe next summer we can bring Bobby and Junior up here to spend a weekend at the cabin."

As Ennis removed his reading glasses he said, "That's something we can think about, but remember they'll be two and four by then."

"And your point is?"

"Haven't you heard of the terrible two's? Bobby will be two and Junior will be double that."

Jack laughed and said, "Ennis, they're just two little kids. We're bigger than they are. We can handle it."

Ennis gave Jack a long look, shook his head, and then just said, "I think I'll order the broccoli and chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. What are you having?"

"The charbroiled rib eye steak. It comes with a baked potato and salad. How bout we get some wine instead of beer for a change?"

"That sounds good to me."

They enjoyed their dinner and topped it off with fresh baked apple strudel ala mode.

On the way back to the cabin, Ennis groaned, "I'm so full I can hardly move."

In a teasing voice, Jack said, "I hope that doesn't mean you're too full for a nightcap."

At first Ennis looked puzzled, but then said, "Jack, what do you think we are, twenty five?"

"Twenty five...I don't feel a day over twenty one."

Ennis chuckled and shook his head, "You gonna at least be easy on me?" he joked.

"We'll see...I'll at least try not to leave any marks on your neck, how's that?"

They both laughed as they drove on to the cabin.

…

The next morning they slept in later than intended. The bed wasn't the most comfortable, and the springs squeaked whenever one of them turned over, but to avoid more laundry, they'd decided not to move to the loft. Ennis went to the kitchen to start some coffee brewing, and they'd bought frozen breakfasts to heat in the microwave. They planned to make sandwiches to take fishing.

It was a great day. They had only fished together twice before, from the boat. Lake fishing was good in its own way. Not near as private, but still good. It was very restful and relaxing. They enjoyed their picnic lunch and the sounds of nature. The fish could have been biting a little more though. Jack caught three and Ennis caught the limit of five. When they got back to the cabin they cleaned the fish so they could freeze them.

"Guess we could have planned to cook them for supper," Ennis said as he finished the cleaning.

"Well, we really didn't know if we'd even catch any, so I think eating out tonight and taking them home was the way to go," Jack added.

Ennis stood up and stretched and handed the pan of fish to Jack. "Let's not forget to take these with us when we leave," Jack said as he took the fish inside.

"You with your twenty-one year old brain shouldn't have any problem remembering," smiled Ennis.

After resting on the deck with a beer, they cleaned up and headed out to Sandy's Sports Bar.

The sports bar had big screen t.v.'s that were showing a Dodger's baseball game. They were hungry, so looked at a menu right off, and decided on fish & chips with their beer. They sat at the bar and ate while watching the game. Afterward, Jack challenged Ennis to a game of pool. As they played, they noticed two pretty women from across the room giving them the eye. They tried to ignore them but it was hard because the women kept staring. After a time, the girls came over and asked if they could join in the next game. Always his friendly self, Jack said alright, and smiled, but knowing Jack as he did, Ennis could tell it was only a half-hearted effort. It was more than Ennis would have done though, not that he was rude, but he didn't like to lead anyone on and waste time. He'd wasted enough time in the past. He knew Jack didn't like hurting anyone's feelings, so that's why he played along, flattering the ladies. This wasn't the first time they'd gotten into a situation like this, and after those times Jack had said, "Never again," yet here they were...again.

They played two games of pool, and then Jack said he felt like kicking back at the bar, so asked Ennis if he was ready to take in some of the game. By the tone of the conversation, the girls must have gotten the message and backed off. Jack and Ennis thanked them for the games, but made it clear that was all they were interested in. The ladies looked a bit dejected, but went on their way.

As they sat at the bar trying to decide whether to have another beer or something for dessert, Jack brought up the idea he'd run past Ennis awhile back after one such occasion as this.

"You know, I still think it would make sense for us to wear wedding rings so women, at least some of them, would see them and maybe leave us alone."

"Some don't care if a man's married or not, they still go full speed ahead," Ennis replied.

"I know, but some wouldn't. It might help."

"Well, I sure as hell don't want to wear my wedding ring I had when I was with Alma. Told you that before."

"We could get new rings. It would help with this problem, plus..." Jack seemed at a loss for words, which didn't happen often.

Ennis could see that Jack was having a difficult time getting his words out so he tried to help. "Why don't we go over to a table and order us some dessert and talk where it's more private."

"Okay, sounds like a good idea."

First they looked at a menu and Jack said, "Hey, they have deep fried ice cream."

That got a reaction from Ennis for sure. "What the hell is deep fried ice cream?"

"Haven't you ever had fried ice cream? They have it at a lot of Mexican restaurants."

"No, can't say I ever have. Think I do remember seeing it on the menu, but it sounded weird. Sometimes when something sounds so out there I just push it out of my mind, sorta like the Naked Cowboy. Is it any good? How's it made?"

Jack explained, "It's ice cream scooped into a ball covered in cornflake or cookie crumbs, then fried in a deep fryer."

Ennis wrinkled his forehead and said, "Some things just don't seem to go together like fried and ice cream, and naked and cowboys."

Jack chuckled, "Well, I'm having some, why don't you give it a try? It's real good, you'll like it." When Ennis didn't answer Jack said, "Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

Ennis laughed out loud but said, "Okay."

After they ordered, Ennis waited for Jack to speak, but when he didn't, Ennis said, "You were saying...about the rings..."

Jack's eyes looked thoughtful and hopeful. His face looked nervous. "I just thought it would be kinda nice if we had rings...maybe even matching ones...I mean, I've said before how it seems like we're married anyway...I wouldn't mind wearing a ring to symbolize that. Is that something you'd ever do? I mean, I know with Alma you had one and all...but with you and me...do you think that would be right?"

It was all Ennis could do to remember where they were at the time and not reach out to touch Jack. He felt so much for that man and he wanted him so damn bad. He looked him in the eye and said, "Yeah, Jack, I'd want to wear a ring with you, sure I would...it seems like maybe we should wait though, till our divorces are final before we take a step like that."

Jack smiled a relieved smile, "Yeah, I see your point, but if we had rings on now, it might keep us from getting into the situation we were in tonight," he said, raising one eye brow.

"Jack, we could avoid these situations if you'd just say no when the ladies come over," Ennis chuckled.

"Yeah, I know," Jack said.

About that time the waitress served their fried ice cream, and they leisurely ate while they enjoyed the end to their evening. Ennis said it was real good and he couldn't believe all the things he'd missed out on before he'd met Jack.

When they got back to the cabin, they debated again about using one of the upstairs beds, but decided to tough it out downstairs. All the fresh air must have had them tired out enough that they both slept like logs and the squeaking didn't bother them, or maybe neither of them moved the whole night...once they got to sleep anyway. Maybe it was the sex that tired them out rather than the mountain air, because it was more than fantastic, and had the springs singing their song. After it was over, Jack snuggled into Ennis' neck murmuring, "Damn," and all Ennis could answer was, "Yeah, damn," and they fell asleep, not to wake till sun up.

The next morning before breakfast, they threw the sheets into the washing machine while they ate. After cleaning the place up and making the bed, they gathered their things, including the frozen fish, and headed out, back to the city and their little home on the water.

_To Be Continued..._


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

At the end of September, Jack had a photo shoot in San Francisco. He'd be away two nights. He didn't like being away from Ennis, but these trips came up from time to time. Ennis was talking about going on one himself. Anna and Jim had been back to L.A. since their move, but Ennis was long overdue going to visit them. They'd been after him about it, so he planned to go sometime in October. Alma had agreed for Junior going with him. Anna knew Jack was living on the boat with Ennis, and hadn't acted like she found it unusual in any way. Jack couldn't help but wish that he and Ennis were going to Anna's to tell her about their relationship but knew the time wasn't right.

They still hadn't found a suitable house and were beginning to think they'd be on the boat when winter came, which didn't appeal to either of them. Besides the weather to consider, it was beginning to feel too crowded.

"If we can live in this small space for five months and still feel like we do about each other, we got it made," Ennis had said recently.

"What are you trying to say?" Jack had asked, pretending to be insulted. They both just laughed. "It beats living at my folks. I don't care if I freeze to death here this winter, anything is better than moving back home," he said adamantly.

...

Jack's flight to San Francisco was in the afternoon, and that morning he had gotten a call from Maggie, their real estate agent. She said that a house had just gone on the market and she thought it might be a strong possibility. She sounded very excited, and urged Jack to see it as soon as possible.

Ennis had already left for work, and Jack knew he had gotten discouraged with all the places they'd been looking at, so didn't think that he would drop everything to go look at this place. Jack decided he'd squeeze in the time to have a quick look on the way to the airport. Maggie made every effort to accommodate Jack, knowing he was pressed for time, and was waiting when he got to the house.

Jack felt rushed and didn't even call to tell Ennis that he was stopping to look at a house. He tried not to get his hopes up, but much to his surprise, he nearly fell in love at first sight with the place. It wasn't completely perfect, but just about.

As they entered, Maggie said, "Where shall we begin? It's really a lovely house throughout." They stepped into the living room and she pointed out the gas fireplace. "How do you like the fireplace? Take a look. It was built with stones brought back from all of the National Parks."

Jack was impressed and stepped closer to get a better look. They'd both wanted a fireplace, and of all the ones they'd seen, this was unique and special. "Wow, I don't think you'd ever see another one like this."

As he ran his hand over the stones his thoughts were of Ennis when he had joked about throwing down a bear skin rug in front of the fire place and going at it right there. Sounded pretty romantic to Jack, and he had to snap out of his thoughts in order to continue looking at the rest of the house.

Maggie led the way. "The family room is right through here."

As Jack looked the room over, the idea came to him that it could be used for their offices. It was plenty large enough for two desks and book cases, and probably even the piano. If it didn't work out having both work spaces in the same room, they could always put up a partition, or use a room divider. A half-bath was located off the family room.

"How bout we go into the kitchen next," Maggie suggested. "Just wait till you see it."

And it was something. Jack could picture Ennis there cooking up his pasta dishes. It was large, bright, clean and modern, with a center island, custom made cabinetry, granite counter tops, and nearly new appliances. It was beautiful, and Jack knew it would be a main selling point for Ennis.

It didn't have a separate formal dining room, just one off the kitchen, but Jack felt that would serve the purpose. And there was a small table right in the kitchen that could be used for quick meals.

Maggie pointed to a room off the kitchen and said, "This was probably used as a bedroom for a live-in maid. It doesn't have an attached bathroom but there's one here next to the room."

"This would make a great guest room," Jack said. He wondered about Anna and Jim coming to visit, which Ennis hoped for in the future. Jack clung to that idea because hopefully it would mean that Ennis had felt comfortable enough to tell his sister the true nature of their relationship.

The other four bedrooms were upstairs, and the amazing part was there were two master bedrooms, one at each end of the hall. Ennis would love that. Jack was all for only using one bedroom but Ennis wanted them to have two for appearance sake and when the kids were there. Jack hoped he'd come around, but for now he agreed with him to keep the peace.

Each master bedroom had a large bathroom attached, modern and beautiful. The walk-in closets were very impressive. Jack knew neither he nor Ennis had the amount of clothes it would take to fill them. Each had sliding glass doors on the south side leading out to private decks with a fantastic view of the city. As they stepped out Maggie said, "Have a look, you can see for miles."

"I'll say," Jack said as he took in the view.

Situated in the middle of the hallway were two smaller bedrooms with one bathroom between them, accessible from each room. "These rooms would be great bedrooms for the kids," Jack said.

"My thoughts exactly," Maggie smiled.

The front yard was small, but nicely landscaped with shrubbery and roses. The house was at the end of the street, had a steep circle drive-way and was sitting about ten feet above the street, which gave it a private feel and look, which was another thing Jack knew Ennis would like. The garage was a four car. There was a regular door from the garage into the house, near the laundry room.

The backyard had a small area planted in grass, and more shrubs and roses, a nice large shade tree, plus swimming pool. Jack kind of liked working in the yard. He'd mentioned that to Ennis before, and Ennis seemed surprised and said he wasn't much for doing that sort of thing himself, but he might be inclined to learn, since after all, Jack was willing to cook part of the time. The backyard was also very private with rows of Italian Cyprus growing on each side, providing late afternoon shade and all day privacy.

Jack was extremely impressed but tried not to let on too much to Maggie in case for some reason Ennis didn't like it as much as he did. He did say, "I'll call Ennis from the airport and make sure he gets in touch with you so he can look at it before the end of the day."

"That's fine. I'll expect his call," she said as they shook hands and said goodbye. She was all smiles as Jack left. She'd gotten to know Jack and Ennis pretty well over the months. They didn't have to pretend with her.

...

From the airport, Jack took a few moments to dial Ennis. He hoped like hell he wasn't with a patient. "Come on, come on, Ennis, answer, I don't want voice mail," he said under his breath as the phone rang.

"Jack? What's going on? Is everything okay?" Ennis asked, concern coming through in his voice.

"Yeah, everything's fine. More than fine in fact. Look, I don't have much time. I gotta catch my flight, but I had a call from Maggie this morning, and I stopped off to look at a house..."

Ennis interrupted, "What were you doing going to look at a house when you're leaving for San Francisco?"

"Ennis, just listen. Like I said, I haven't got a lot of time."

"Okay, go ahead..."

"The house...I think it just might be the one. I need you to call Maggie and arrange to see it today."

"Today...I don't know if I can today..."

"Ennis, you gotta make time. I know you're sick of looking at houses that aren't right, but this one...I think you're gonna like it, and we've got to move on it fast because it just came on the market and I don't think it's going to last, and like I said..."

"You're in love with it," Ennis said as a statement, not a question.

"Well, yeah, you might say that. Just go look at it. Promise me you'll call Maggie and go today."

"Alright, I promise."

"Thanks, Ennis...I'll call you later. Gotta go. Miss you; see you when I get back."

"Love you, Jack."

Jack stood with his phone in his hand and couldn't stop smiling. Between finding what he was sure was their dream house, and hearing those words come out of Ennis' mouth so effortlessly, he felt like he was on cloud nine.

...

All the while that Jack met with clients to get things set for the photo shoot the following day, his thoughts kept turning to that house and he wondered if Ennis had been able to get out to see it. He could have a voice mail, or a text message, but he wasn't able to check. He was supposed to be focused on the business at hand, so he'd just have to wait.

When at last Jack had a break, the first thing he did was turn on his phone and flip it open to see if he had a message, and he did, a text which said, "It's Great. Give Maggie a bid? Too good to be true. E."

Jack couldn't keep from breaking into a big smile. He was on top of the world and sent Ennis a text message back, "Call you later to discuss...I love you. J."

During a longer break, he called Ennis to discuss an offer for the house. After agreeing on the money side of it, they compared notes on the house itself.

"I love that kitchen," Ennis said.

"Knew you would. Seems like whoever bought those appliances did a lot of cooking, or planned to anyway, because they looked new."

"They're top of the line too," Ennis said.

"How bout the brown, tan and orange colors in the living room? Looked real nice, didn't it?" Jack asked.

"Sure did."

"I was hoping you'd like it. Would save a lot of time and trouble if we could keep it as it is."

"You think some kinda southwestern furniture would look good in there?" Ennis asked.

"That's exactly what I imagined in there," Jack said. "And don't forget the bear skin rug. What did you think of that fireplace?"

Ennis chuckled, "A bear skin rug would be mighty fine in front of that fireplace. That rock work was something. I can just see all the shopping we'll be doing."

"Yeah, not much to bring over from our old houses."

"It'll be good picking stuff out together. Get what we like, what we feel comfortable with," Ennis said.

"Yeah, I'm lookin' forward to picking out the stuff for the bedroom."

"Course you are, Jack," Ennis said in a low growl.

"Well, we'd better get off the phone so one of us can call Maggie," Jack said, his voice still brimming over with excitement.

Later that night when they spoke again, they talked in more detail about the different aspects of the house. Ennis had reached Maggie so all was in motion there. They talked until late, with Jack finally having to hang up to get into bed in order to be rested for his shoot which would last all of the next day. Ennis also had to be up early for work. Jack had a hard time sleeping though from being so wound up. He couldn't wait to get back home to Ennis.

...

Ennis wished it was already time for Jack to return. He turned on their candles as he lay in the bed with thoughts of Jack running through his mind. Ennis chuckled as he thought about Jack saying it would be fun picking out the furniture for the bedroom. Yeah, that would be fun alright, if the salesman didn't give them any funny looks. Not everyone was like Maggie. They'd lucked out with her. Ennis felt comfortable with her, except maybe when they'd seen the house with the bedroom with all the mirrors. All three of them, even Jack, had a hard time keeping their composure that time. Maggie knew about the room ahead of time and had hung back, letting them go in on their own, which helped a lot. Of course when they came out and met up with her, they were all thinking the same thing. Jack and Ennis had to avoid eye contact for fear of bursting out laughing in front of Maggie.

Ennis still felt scared at times, and now with finding the house they wanted, he knew questions would come up. He had absolutely no misgivings about the relationship he and Jack had. In fact, not once had he been freaked out by it, even after that first night together. He knew it was right, and was meant to be. He and Jack had found each other because that's how it was supposed to be. But he also knew the kind of world they lived in, and that everyone might not understand, even their own families.

Ennis thought of visiting Jim and Anna in October and felt a pang of sadness about leaving Jack behind. He'd been thinking a lot about seeing Anna, and wished he was able to tell her how things really were with him. He had it in his mind that if he felt comfortable enough, and the conversation went in the right direction, he might find the words to tell her. Who knows, by then if the house deal went through and he mentioned that, she and Jim might ask questions, might guess, might say something... He didn't want to tell Jack that though and get his hopes up for nothing.

God how he missed Jack, and couldn't wait to have him in his arms again. Night after tomorrow seemed so far off. But things were looking up. They'd found that fine house and, if everything worked out, it would be theirs very soon. It would be a busy time getting moved but they should be in it by the holidays, which would be perfect.

_To Be Continued..._


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

When Ennis returned from Minnesota, Jack welcomed him back with a special dinner. He'd prepared steak, baked potatoes and salad, and then they had dessert in bed. All through the evening, Ennis felt an inner turmoil about having not been able to bring himself to tell Anna about him and Jack. He finally explained that the right time just hadn't presented itself. He did tell Anna that he and Jack planned to move into a house together. He left out the part about "buying" it, and Anna didn't ask, so for all he knew, she assumed they were going to rent a place. In any case, she didn't seem surprised. He could tell that Jack was disappointed, could see it in his eyes, but knew Jack didn't hold it against him when he'd said, "It's alright. You'll know when the time is right."

Jack had his own news to report about having gone to his folk's for dinner while Ennis was away.

"How'd that go?" Ennis asked with apprehension in his voice. "Since you didn't tell me over the phone, should I expect the worst?"

"No, it wasn't that bad. I told them we were buying a house. Told them a little about it and mom was real pleased we'd be living close to the kids." Jack paused before going on. "I could tell dad thought it was kind of odd that we were investing in a house together."

"Yeah? How odd did he think it was?"

"Well, he didn't have that much to say except to ask what were we going to do if one of us wanted to remarry. Said would we live together, all of us under the same roof?"

Ennis laughed nervously and asked, "How'd you answer that?"

"I just told him that neither of us had any intention of getting mixed up in marriage again. Been there, done that I said, and just left him to ponder what it all meant. If he thought anything else, he didn't say."

"Jesus," Ennis said as he ran his hand over his face.

"Don't stress out, friend. If he'd wanted to make an issue of it, he would have already."

"Well, they all know we're moving into a house and the world hasn't come to an end," Ennis said.

"One step at a time," Jack said, as he patted Ennis on the back and they'd called it a night.

...

Both of their divorces were finalized late in the fall. Ennis had hit a few rocky patches with Alma and they still butted heads at times, but all in all, it was alright. Ennis had joint custody of Junior which was all he cared about. He could endure Alma's cold, unpleasant demeanor when he had to see her. He tried to be pleasant, especially in front of Junior. Alma was still dating Monroe, who was actually a very nice man and helped keep Alma from getting too unreasonable. Ennis hoped that her bitterness would pass with time.

Jack had joint custody of Bobby, and he and Lureen had remained friends, so there was seldom any unpleasantness between them. When they became aware of the relationship between their ex's, Ennis hoped Lureen wouldn't change her attitude, and that Alma wouldn't get any more unpleasant. Neither of the girls had batted an eye when they'd heard about the new house. So far they were flying under the radar.

Fall had been a busy time. Ennis and Jack had started the monumental task of furnishing their new home. Luckily they had similar taste in furniture and went with a southwestern style. They chose a couch, love seat and chair and ottoman handcrafted with a hardwood frame, covered in leather and fabric in browns, tans, black and rust.

They had found a painting they both loved so it hung above the couch. The scene was of a lake in the forest with two men and a dog in a canoe. On the shore was a lean-to with a small campfire in front, the sun setting in the background.

The bedroom furniture continued the southwestern theme, and was rustic yet refined. For not having used a decorator, they were very pleased with the results, and Ennis was impressed with Jack's eye for color and decorating. Ennis had a big hand in deciding how to decorate Junior's bedroom. It was as if a little cowgirl lived there when he got done.

Movers brought Ennis' office furnishings from Alma's, and Jack's desk and piano from Lureen's, along with their recliners. They'd joked that in a recliner they couldn't sit together, so maybe they'd sit on their new couch most of the time...or better yet, in front of the fireplace on the rug, at least while it was cold.

One other item that Jack wanted was the aquarium. Lureen had never taken a real interest in it, but had at least fed the fish while Jack lived on the boat. He could tell that she was more than happy to be rid of it. One day while she was at work, Ennis went with Jack to help him get the fish into plastic bags, empty the aquarium, and bring it to the new house. They put it in their office where it looked right at home.

They had settled in quite nicely, being almost completely unpacked by Christmas. Now they could set up regular weekends and holidays to have the kids. It would be a lot easier than when they lived on the boat, and less of a drive back and forth. Their new home was only a couple miles from the kids.

They missed being on the boat, but planned to stay the night now and then, and of course, stay there a lot of weekends in the summer and take it out fishing, etc. It would always be a very special place for them.

Ennis and Jack had paperwork drawn up by their lawyer early in December to cover all of the legal aspects of their relationship in this new life they had chosen.

As far as anyone at Ennis' office knew, he'd moved into the new house alone. He didn't see a reason to mention Jack, and hadn't said he had been living on the boat with him either. Ennis intended to tell Connie the whole truth, when the time was right. He was glad Jack was a patient man. He knew that if it were up to Jack, they'd just tell everyone and get it out in the open and be done with it, but Ennis needed time to get used to the idea.

...

January 1, 2008, one year since their first night together. Although they'd had a slightly bumpy start, they considered that date their anniversary. They had something special planned too. Not that every day together wasn't special, happy, and sometimes crazy. This New Year's Day was going to be extra special.

That night Jack was getting what he wanted...what Ennis wanted too. They would exchange rings. They'd bought them in December as Christmas gifts to each other, but somehow it didn't feel right just putting them on like regular pieces of jewelry. These were special, and had deep meaning.

Jack had been excited all day, but Ennis told him to contain himself because they had to wait to exchange the rings till after dinner when they settled down in front of the fireplace. In the meantime, they were having a lazy day watching t.v. and puttering around the house. And, Ennis had plans in the kitchen too.

"What's up, Ennis?" Jack asked, with his eyes twinkling, as he looked on the counter top at the items Ennis had gotten out of cupboards and drawers.

"I'm gonna bake something for our dessert, to have tonight after the dinner I'm making us."

"Dessert...alright! What's it gonna be?" Jack asked with a smile.

"Why don't you just go into the other room and let me get to this. I can do it faster without you in here."

"But I want to watch," Jack said, sounding like a spoiled little kid.

"I can handle watching, I just don't think you'll stop at watching."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll want to sample the food as I go, that's what it means."

"Me? Why would I do that...what kind of ingredients is it going to have?"

"Never you mind. Just leave the room and go watch t.v. for awhile. It's kinda complicated, so it's gonna take me some time."

"Maybe I can help. We'd get it done quicker."

"Well, that's questionable."

"Hey...I'm getting better at cooking, aren't I? You said it yourself that I am."

"Yeah, Jack, you are...it's just that when you get around sweet things, you kinda lose your common sense."

Jack put his arms around Ennis, giving him a nice warm hug, pressing himself against the full length of Ennis' body. "Yeah, sweet things, I do like sweet things," he murmured as he kissed Ennis' neck, and made his way to his lips.

After they shared a few deep wet kisses, Ennis broke free and said, "I won't get this done in time if I don't get started. It has to chill after it's baked."

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Can I come in and check on things in a little while?"

"Yeah, if you want. Just give me a half hour or so before you come back."

Jack got himself a beer and left to check the football game. Ennis proceeded to look at the recipe he'd gotten off the internet and familiarize himself with what was required to make this dessert for Jack.

As Ennis looked over the recipe he wondered just how it was going to taste. It sounded weird to him, but the name sounded exactly like what Jack would choose, "Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake."

It was going to require a lot of bowls, he thought to himself, and even the food processor. First, he crushed the Oreos in the food processor for the crust. He had to melt butter, so started that. It even called for sugar in the crust. _Why the hell does it need sugar when the cookies are already so sweet? Jesus. Yeah, this sounds right up Jack's alley._He mixed the cookie crumbs, sugar and butter and pressed it into his brand new 9" spring form pan.

Next, he needed to make the cookie dough with butter, flour, vanilla, a little bit of water, miniature chocolate chips and two kinds of sugar. _God, diabetic coma. I know there's even sugar in the filling._He got that all mixed up and knowing what he did about Jack, hoped he didn't come in and see the dough.

Ennis was just getting the filling beat with the mixer when Jack popped back in asking if it had been a half hour yet. Ennis was worried because the next step was to pour the filling onto the crust and drop the cookie dough into it.

"Can I help finish?" Jack asked, with a hopeful look on his face.

"I think I got it. Go on back and watch the game. I'll be in there soon."

"What kind of pan is that, Ennis? Is that one of those things a cheesecake is made in? It is, isn't it? You're finally making a cheesecake! When did you get the pan?"

"I picked it up not long ago. Thought we might need it."

"Cool...what kind of cheesecake are we making?"

"I'm making the cheesecake. You should go watch t.v.," Ennis said as he poured the filling onto the crust.

"Come on, Ennis, I can help. Is it ready to bake now?"

"Well, not quite."

"Why not?"

"It needs something added first...this stuff here." He motioned to the small bowl, "It goes into the filling."

"What it is?" Jack looked into the bowl. "It has chocolate chips...Ennis...it looks like cookie dough!"

Jack reached for the bowl but Ennis slapped it away. "Jack, no fingers in the bowl!"

Jack grabbed a spoon and tried to put that in to get a taste. "Jack, no...no tasting! I need all that for the recipe."

"Shit, you're no fun at all."

"It's gonna taste real good in the cheesecake. Don't pout; just let me make this the way it's supposed to be made."

Jack backed off and stopped trying to interfere. He sat down on a chair at the small table within watching distance, and stayed quiet and out of the way as Ennis finished getting it ready for the oven.

After it was put in to bake, Jack helped Ennis clear the counter top. He tried to lick the bowls but Ennis grabbed them and ran water in them and said sternly, "I used raw eggs. It's unhealthy to lick the bowls."

"Okay, okay, you don't have to scold me," Jack said, looking dejected.

"I don't want you getting sick is all," Ennis said, trying not to sound so grouchy.

"Well, as long as you put it that way."

They loaded the dishwasher and decided to heat some frozen sandwiches in the microwave for lunch. They grabbed a couple of beers, and went to the living room to watch football while the cheesecake baked.

...

That evening, Ennis prepared linguine and clam sauce, and a big green salad. The cheesecake seemed to have turned out pretty well, despite a small crack on the top. After it cooled, Ennis had taken the sides off the pan, much to Jack's fascination, and the cake had been chilling in the refrigerator since.

"Let's save the dessert for later on. You know you'll be hungry after I have my way with you," Ennis said seductively.

"Well, in that case, I think I can wait," smiled Jack.

After they loaded the dishwasher, Jack took Ennis' hand and led him into the living room to sit in front of the fireplace. The Christmas tree was still standing in the corner. Before sitting down, Jack plugged it in, and between that and the fireplace, the room had a nice warm glow. He took the two small boxes from where they'd been waiting under the tree, and brought them to the front of the fireplace.

"Let's get this show on the road so we can have the wedding night," Ennis joked, but looked at Jack with love and devotion in his eyes.

Jack asked a bit shyly, "Who goes first?"

Ennis noticed that Jack seemed a bit subdued so he took the lead. He removed Jack's ring from the box and took Jack's hand as he said in a voice so soft that Jack had to lean in to hear, "Jack, I just can't imagine life without you anymore." Ennis paused, having a bit of difficulty going on without getting choked up. "You're it for me, and you'll always be able to count on me. I love you and our life together."

After he got those words out, he smiled and kissed Jack softly, placing the ring on his finger. He could see that it was a powerful moment for Jack. It was spiritual and intimate to such a level that it almost overwhelmed Ennis. He knew this was the closest he'd ever been to anyone. Jack's smile and tear filled eyes told Ennis that he felt the same.

Jack looked at the ring on his finger. As he slowly held it up to the light, the diamond sparkled and he seemed mesmerized and gave no indication that he was ready to speak.

Ennis cleared his throat and said, "Twist, don't you have something to give to me now, and something nice to say?"

"Don't be so impatient, Ennis, I'm getting to it."

"Usually I can't get you to shut up, and now when you're supposed to say something, the cats got your tongue," Ennis said, trying to sound annoyed but failing because of the silly grin on his face.

Jack fumbled with the ring box then looked directly into Ennis' eyes. He took his hand while holding the ring and said in a soft voice, "Ennis, there aren't enough words to tell you what's in my heart. There will never be anyone else for me." He took a breath as tears welled up in his eyes. "There's no place I'd rather be. I love you."

He placed the ring on Ennis' finger, and both were overcome with emotion as they looked at each other's fingers with the matching wedding bands. They were white gold in a polished finish, contrasted with a sandblast finished groove and a square diamond, and had an inscription inside which read "Forever isn't long enough."

"You feel like we're married now?" Ennis asked, as his lips curled into a tender smile.

"I've felt like we've been married for a long time, but the rings are real special," Jack said, wiping his eyes.

"Yeah, real special, just like you," Ennis murmured. He continued with a thoughtful look on his face. "You know, if same sex marriage ever comes to be in California, we'll have a legal ceremony, maybe somewhere like...I don't know, the beach? That would be real nice. Our families could be there. You know, do it up right."

"Wow, Ennis, I don't know what to say."

"You like the idea, don't you?"

"Yeah, course I do. Just that, well, in order for that to happen, our families would have to be told, you know."

Ennis looked at Jack for a moment, and then said in a dead-pan voice, "Thanks for pointing that out, I never would have known." He broke into a wide grin and said, "We're gonna tell them."

"I know," Jack said, wiping away another tear.

They finished their private ceremony with some extra fine love making in front of the fireplace. Both held nothing back, getting high on each other and the love they had in their hearts and home. Everything felt perfect. When they were well satisfied they lay in each others arms basking in the afterglow. Thoughts of the outside world tried to creep into Ennis head but he quickly pushed them out. He didn't want anything to mar this night. This special time belonged to him and Jack. Nothing could spoil it, and if he had anything to do with it, nothing, and no one, would be allowed to from here on out.

...

Later, in a sleepy voice, Ennis said, "How bout we have our cheesecake and then go upstairs to bed. We're not as young as we used to be. Sleeping on the floor all night wouldn't do either of us any good."

"Speak for yourself. I'm not old."

"I didn't say we were old...just not as young as we used to be," Ennis said with a soft laugh.

They got up, got themselves together, and hurried to the kitchen so Ennis could serve the cheesecake. He was looking forward to finding out just what it tasted like. He cut small slices and asked Jack if he wanted some milk to go with it. They sat in the kitchen at the small table with their cheesecake and milk, and both took a bite at the same time.

"Mmmmm, this is delicious," Jack said. "Damn, you did a good job with this."

"Tastes a little sweet to me, not to you?"

"Hell no, it's perfect."

Ennis took another bite, "It is pretty good, isn't it? Not too sure about these gobs of cookie dough though."

"Ennis, come on, that's the best part."

"Well, I don't know...maybe it's not too bad."

"Maybe after you retire from being a doctor you could get a job baking cheesecakes at the Cheesecake Factory."

Ennis let out a laugh, "Huh? You think I'd wanna spend my time baking in a hot kitchen after I'm old enough to retire?"

"Well, with all the bills we got, I don't know if either of us is ever gonna be able to retire."

They both chuckled. "Well, then it's a good thing we both like our jobs," Ennis said as he took a drink of milk.

They enjoyed every bite. When they finished they turned off the tree and fireplace, and climbed up the stairs to their bedroom. Jack grabbed Ennis' ass, and with an evil grin asked, "You ready for round two in the bed this time?"

"You bet."

_To Be Continued..._


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

It seemed everyone was busier than ever in 2008. Jack's folks still hadn't seen the house, which didn't really bother Ennis, or even Jack. This day though, on a cold winter day even by Los Angeles standards, Jack's mom rang the door bell. He'd been expecting her. She had been in the area to meet with a charity group, and Jack had cleared his schedule that afternoon. Ennis was working, and John was out of town, so it was just the two of them.

"Come in out of the wind, Mom," Jack said with a smile, as he stepped aside to let her enter.

"Jack, it's just lovely!" Denise said, as she glanced around the living room. Jack could tell she really meant it, and she knew a lot about decorating, so he felt proud to hear her praise.

"Let me take your coat," he said, as he helped her with it. "Can I make you some tea?"

"You even make tea now?" Denise laughed, as she kissed his cheek and gave him a hug.

"Well, sure I can make tea. I even have some cake I baked yesterday too if you'd be interested in a piece," he said, as he waited for her reaction.

"You're full of surprises. I'd love a small piece of cake with my tea. First, aren't you going to give me a tour?"

"Right this way," Jack said as he took her arm. They went through the entire house as Jack told her a little about their shopping expeditions and other interesting stories about their move to North Barrington Avenue.

After they'd seen it all, they ended up in the kitchen, and before Jack proceeded with the tea and lemon cake, he pointed out to the backyard showing her what they could see of the pool and garden. It was too cool and windy to walk outside. He began heating the water and setting the table.

"This is a gorgeous kitchen," she said.

"Yeah, it's really nice. I don't think there's anything it doesn't have." As Jack continued with the tea and cake, he said, "Ennis cooks on Sunday's and makes enough to have leftovers for Monday. We get take out on Tuesday's, then I cook Wednesday's making enough to have Thursday's, and we go out Friday and Saturday."

"Well, I'm impressed. That sounds very organized, honey. And how many dishes do you know how to cook?"

"Well, I'm getting better and can probably make six or seven things now."

"And even cake," she said, as he placed the dessert dishes on the dining room table.

"It's from a mix," Jack said with a little bit of apprehension in his voice as he brought the tea pot and set it down.

"Well, it's still very, very good, honey. After all, you're busy enough without baking from scratch."

"We've had the kids here twice since Christmas. It's working out real well," Jack said as they sipped their tea. "They love their bedrooms. We have to make sure to pull the child guard across the top of the stairs though, but Bobby, the little rascal, can get by that if he tries hard enough, or if he gets Junior to help him." Jack took a bite of cake. "Don't look so worried, everything's under control. Bobby's not gonna fall down the stairs," Jack smiled.

"And the pool? That's secure with all the safety measures?" Denise asked.

"Yeah, we made sure of that, and they can't go outside without us. We've child proofed the whole house."

"That's good to know," Denise said.

"Our closest neighbors are a couple I'd guess to be in their late seventies, Pete and Esther Harper. They're real nice and we sometimes help them with little chores they can't handle themselves, and in turn, they've offered to keep an eye on our house since they're retired and home all day."

"That sounds nice." She went on to ask, "What about a housekeeper? Don't you guys need someone to help out?"

Jack wondered if his mom had seen something that didn't look up to par. He realized he must have had a funny look on his face when his mom laughed and said, "Oh, I didn't mean anything by that. I just thought with you and Ennis being so busy, it would be a help to have a cleaning lady."

"As a matter of fact, we did discuss it and think we'll get someone, maybe to come in twice a week for a few hours. We don't really have time to mop and stuff like that. Just haven't had time to interview anyone, but now that the holidays are past, we'll get to it."

"And your migraines, they've never returned?"

"It's been over a year since I've had one. Let me find some wood to knock on even though I'm not superstitious," Jack smiled.

"That's amazing, honey."

The afternoon was very enjoyable, and Jack didn't detect any hint of uneasiness or underlying questions from his mother, and he didn't think she noticed the ring on his left ring finger. One down, one to go, he thought.

After his mom left, Jack had some time to think. While she was there he was glad things had gone smoothly, no questions asked, but now he almost wished she had questioned him about this house - this arrangement, or noticed his ring and said something.

He and Ennis had discussed things after buying the house, and again after they put the rings on each other's fingers. Remembering back, Jack had said, "If anyone asks a direct question, I'm going to tell the truth."

Ennis answered, "Okay, that's alright with me."

From his tone of voice, Jack could tell he still had misgivings. Jack then asked, "What are you planning to do should anyone ask you a direct question?"

Ennis hemmed and hawed a bit, and finally said, "It depends on who the person is that's asking, and the situation, and if I feel able to tell the truth at the time the question is asked."

Jack remembered Ennis looking away and down at the floor after saying that. Jack was disappointed and irritated at the time, but he'd learned there was no way to push Ennis into something he wasn't ready for. Jack couldn't help but wonder if Ennis even wore his ring at work. Jack had faith he'd come around in his own time. He believed that with all his heart but knew he needed more time and that it would be a big relief to Ennis to learn that Denise hadn't said anything.

...

The weeks and months went on. Jack and Ennis settled more and more into a routine. Their lives were very comfortable, happy and satisfying. The arrangement of their offices in the family room worked out fine. Neither was bothered by the other being in the same room, although when Jack glanced across at Ennis wearing his sexy reading glasses, he sometimes had to rein himself in and not go across the room to disrupt him while he was working. Jack knew that if he played the piano when Ennis wanted to use his desk that he could get to him too and make Ennis forget he even had any work to do.

They'd found a housekeeper to come in on Mondays and Fridays. She did an excellent job, but Ennis wasn't totally at ease with her coming into their home, and to Jack's dismay, had insisted they alternate using both master bedrooms during the week so it would appear that they each had their own room. That wasn't so bad, but what Jack disliked even more was when the kids came to stay, Ennis insisted they use separate rooms. Neither liked it, but that's what Ennis felt was necessary, and maybe it was...maybe Junior would talk when she went home and Alma would end up finding out what was going on, so Jack could understand, but he sure disliked the situation.

On a couple of occasions, Jack had brought up the subject of Alma and Lureen being told about their relationship, but Ennis balked. Hell, Jack's folks were still in the dark too. John had yet to come see the house, but it wasn't because he didn't want to. He'd been extremely busy and had been on several trips, and Jack himself had been away a couple times. Things just weren't coming together.

Both Lureen and Alma had spotted their rings. They didn't look close, so even if they'd compared notes they wouldn't know they were matching. Both men had given them the story that they weren't interested in being hit on when out, so that was the reason for wearing a ring.

"You think pretty highly of yourself," was what Alma had spit out when Ennis had told her that.

Jack had the feeling Lureen could see right through him on the subject, but maybe he was just being paranoid. He hoped so. Hell, living with Ennis this long, the paranoia had probably rubbed off.

For all they knew, they weren't fooling anyone. The Harpers, in the next house over, had just assumed they were a couple from the moment they met, not batting an eye. In that first conversation the subject of kids and divorces had come up and Pete had said, "Hopefully love is sweeter this time around for the two of you," and had asked how long they'd been together. Jack was glad, and had hoped their attitude would help Ennis lighten up about all this, but it had done very little to make Ennis more ready to tell their friends and family. Jack was still hanging in there. He knew the day would come when they could be honest about everything.

It sure hadn't hurt their relationship. They were more in love each day if that were possible. Jack couldn't get enough of Ennis, and vice versa. Even though Jack was frustrated when Ennis couldn't see his way clear of coming out to even their own families, he could see how hard Ennis tried and it made Jack love him more. And in a way, it was giving Jack an excuse to keep all this hidden from his parents, especially his dad. Jack really didn't know how he would take the news and had gotten used to having his dad in his life and wanted to keep it that way. He also worried about Anna's reaction, because he knew Ennis would be devastated if she were to react badly.

...

On a warm spring day, Jack drove to John's office at City Hall. He and Ennis had made plans to take the kids to Big Bear on the coming weekend, and John had brought the key for the cabin so Jack could pick it up.

"You'll have to get one made for yourself," John said, after he handed Jack the key. "When you get back, I'm definitely making time to get over to your house," John said as he walked Jack out. He patted him on the back, and said, "Have a good time in Big Bear."

"Thanks, we will."

As Jack walked down the hall John called out, "And it's time I see that grandson of mine too."

Jack smiled and waved goodbye.

Junior chattered nearly non-stop during the drive to Big Bear, and Bobby did his share too. He was just shy of two years old, and Junior would be four in the summer. Both kids were excited to go on a trip with their dads, even though both were seasoned travelers.

The cabin was a hit, especially with Junior. Both she and Bobby went wild when they saw two squirrels running and playing outside when they first got out of the Land Rover. Junior's squeal was enough to make Ennis and Jack lose their hearing. "Christ, she's loud," Ennis said under his breath, just for Jack's ears. Jack just smiled widely.

It was Saturday and they planned to stay one night at the cabin. They'd gotten there early, so there was time for a nap for the kids before lunch. They had stopped for a few groceries on their way. Grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips were on the menu for lunch, and afterward, the plan was to visit the Big Bear zoo, and then they thought they'd get adventurous and go out to dinner. They were going to The Old Country Inn since they knew kids were welcome there.

The zoo was great fun for both Junior and Bobby. "I'm sure glad Junior likes animals and didn't take after Alma in that regard," Ennis said at one point while he watched Junior stand as if in a trance while looking at the wolf habitat.

All the animals made big impressions on the kids. When they saw the skunks, Jack made reference to Bobby's diapers and the little black and white animals. Ennis laughed even though he tried not to. They visited the gift shop and bought Junior and Bobby matching t-shirts with wolf images on them. Bobby couldn't quite pronounce wolf and instead said "woof."

On the way to the restaurant, Jack asked the kids to name all the animals they had seen. Junior did a pretty good job of recalling most of them, with Bobby shouting out each name after Junior, "Fox! Pox! Snow Leopard! No Lepard! Owl! Al! Coyote! Coty! Bob Cat! Bobby Cat! Eagle! Eag! Skunk! Stunk!"

Ennis and Jack laughed, and through his laughter, Ennis said, "Do I hear a myna bird in here?"

"Maybe we can sit out on the patio like we did when we were here before," Jack said as they were parking at the restaurant.

"So Junior and Bobby can drown out the sound of the crickets chirping?" joked Ennis.

"Ennis, they're typical kids. Actually, they're real good for their ages," Jack said. "One thing I'll sure be glad about is when we can get rid of the damn diapers for Bobby."

"Damn diapers!" repeated Junior. She started to clap and repeat, "Damn diapers," as they walked to the restaurant door.

"Jack, she's like a myna bird, same as Bobby. Did you have to use a cuss word?"

Having trouble keeping the smile off his face, Jack said, "Sorry,"

All in all, their dining experience wasn't half bad. The kids were well behaved. Junior acted quite grown up having been given the task of keeping Bobby in line. Ennis and Jack helped them order their meals off the children's menu. Bobby had chicken strips and chips, and Junior had a corn dog and fries. Ennis ordered Grilled Salmon and Jack had the Steak and Shrimp Combo. Everyone was too full for dessert, even though the kids said they weren't.

"We've got some ice cream bars back at the cabin we'll have before bed," Ennis told them to stop them from fussing. He couldn't resist giving Jack an affectionate look and said, "If you're real good, you can have one too."

By the time they arrived back at the cabin, the kids had started to wind down. After Jack and Ennis helped them into their pajamas, they sat them in front of the t.v. long enough to eat their ice cream bars before brushing their teeth and getting into bed. They were sleeping in the downstairs bedroom with the singing springs.

"I'll sleep on the couch to be close to them in case they needed anything. You go ahead and sleep in a bed upstairs," Ennis told Jack.

"I can sleep on the couch. Go ahead and sleep in the loft," Jack offered.

"How bout we flip a coin?" Ennis suggested.

Ennis still ended up on the couch. After the kids were tucked in, they stepped out onto the porch to sit and talk for a short time. The mountain air was brisk so their jackets felt good. They scooted closer on the wooden bench for warmth. It had been a good day, an excellent day in fact. Life was good.

The next morning Ennis fixed oatmeal and toast for breakfast. They had bought a loaf of bread on the way, but Jack asked, "Where did the box of oatmeal come from?"

"I brought it from home," Ennis said.

"You think of everything, don't you?"

"Just want us all to have a healthy breakfast once in awhile, and no, not just because I'm a doctor," Ennis smiled.

While they ate, the squirrels provided entertainment out in the yard. It was hard for everyone to resist staring at their every move as they ran, climbed and played together. It seemed to be the two they'd seen the day before.

"This picture window is better than t.v.," Jack said.

"Can we take them home?" Junior asked.

"Yeah, home wif us!" shouted Bobby.

When Ennis explained the reasons they couldn't take the squirrels, the kids had disappointed looks on their faces.

"Cheer up," Jack told them. He glanced at Ennis and went on, "We've been thinking about getting some pets of our own to have at the house so when you two spend weekends with us, you'll be able to play with them."

Junior and Bobby's eyes were wide.

"What do you think of a dog and a cat coming to live with us?"

Both kids were delighted and asked many, many questions, nearly wearing Jack and Ennis out before breakfast was even over. They told Junior and Bobby they would be able to help choose the pets when the time came.

The kids colored at the table the rest of the morning and kept an eye on the squirrels, while Jack and Ennis tidied up the cabin.

"I can't understand why Lureen and Alma say the kids misbehave so much. They seem really good to me," Jack commented, as they did their chores.

"Yeah, they are good. Maybe a little noisy, but other than that, I don't see any problems either."

When lunchtime came, Jack made peanut butter and banana sandwiches with potato chips on the side. No one really wanted to leave, but after the dishes were done, they knew it was time. The kid's mamas would be looking for their babies to be delivered back to them.

They packed up and got everything, including themselves, into the SUV. After calling out goodbye to the squirrels, they headed back to the city. A good time was had by all.

_To Be Continued..._


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

On a warm, overcast Friday morning in May, Ennis stepped into the shower. He had packed a small bag to take to the boat after work, so was running a little late. Ennis closed his eyes and turned his face toward the warm spray to try and wake up.

It had been a bit of a late night. He'd had to make a few calls and do a little work later than usual. Ennis had expected Jack to be asleep by the time he got up to bed, but he'd stayed awake reading...waiting. Jack was always in the mood for sex, and for that matter, so was Ennis, so they were all over each other until well after midnight.

Thoughts of the night before brought a feeling of contentment to Ennis. Just then he sensed a draft, and before he knew what had happened, arms were around his waist from behind, and he felt Jack's naked body tight up against him. It made Ennis groan and lean back into Jack's strong embrace.

"I'm really gonna be late now," Ennis murmured, as he turned toward Jack to take him in his arms and kiss his cheek, then his neck.

"Is that a bad thing?" Jack whispered into Ennis' ear. Ennis began to run his hands up Jack's arms and back as Jack did the same to him. Their erections stood at attention, and became even harder as they rubbed together.

"God, Jack," was all Ennis could say. Seemed like most of his good sense left him whenever he was with Jack this way. Nothing else seemed to matter.

He let Jack back him up against the wall and felt the intense pleasure as deep, sexy kisses were showered upon him from those lips he loved so much. Suddenly the lips pulled back and began to tease with tongue and teeth until Ennis just couldn't take any more and pushed Jack against the opposite wall and kissed him hard and deep. He sucked on Jack's neck, and felt every inch of skin he could reach with his hands. At this rate he knew he wouldn't last long. Guess Jack knew they didn't have a lot of time because before Ennis knew it, he felt Jack take his cock deep into his mouth, and lord, what he could do with that tongue of his. Made Ennis crazy. He gave in to the feelings in his mind and heart and the sensations in his cock. In seconds, he was shooting in ecstasy and gasping for breath moaning, "Jesus, Jack," under his breath. Jack stood up and planted deep kisses on his mouth. Ennis could taste himself there and savored it.

Ennis couldn't wait to give Jack his turn. He drew it out at first, with slow teasing licks to Jack's cock. He stroked his balls and reached with his other hand to rub and squeeze Jack's ass. He found the puckered opening with his soapy finger and began to tease. He knew how to give Jack what he liked and there wasn't anything better than pleasing him in every way possible. When he had Jack moaning and pleading for relief, he stuck his finger into the tight opening as far as it would go and wiggled it a little as he sucked his hard cock, and worked at the tip with his tongue hard and fast. He sped up with his finger too, and Jack's legs nearly gave way as he came. Ennis could feel the pulses in his mouth as he swallowed all Jack gave up, and by the sounds of Jack's moans and groans, he knew it would take a moment for Jack to come back to his senses. When the spasms subsided, he quickly rose and took Jack in his arms, whispering love words to him as he came back down to earth. Both of them had smiles on their faces as they finished their showers.

...

Jack saw Ennis off at the door with several goodbye kisses and knew Ennis would be hard pressed to get to work on time. Jack smiled inwardly and quickly gathered what he'd need for the day so he could get going too. He'd be home early while Helen was in to clean, and after that he and Ennis would leave for their weekend on the boat.

Helen was worth her weight in gold, especially after those weekends when the kids had stayed. She came in Monday and Friday afternoons, and it was working out great. She did her job well and minded her own business, although Jack figured she had them pegged, but if it made Ennis feel more comfortable to think they had her fooled, he wasn't going to say anything different.

The day was going great for Jack. He'd had his sex fix that would last until at least that night, it had been a light day schedule wise, and he was looking forward to being out at Marina Del Rey with Ennis. On his way home, he stopped for lunch at Jack in The Box and was ready to sink his teeth into a fat bacon cheeseburger when his cell phone rang. He saw it was his dad on the line.

"Hey, Dad," he said, in a less than enthusiastic voice. It wasn't that he didn't want to hear from John, it was just that he dreaded the time when his dad would say he wanted to come over to see the house, and during the first couple sentences of the conversation, he was faced with the fact that the time had come.

...

Ennis had noticed Jack just wasn't quite himself as soon as they started out for the beach. At first he thought maybe he was imagining it, but more and more he knew something was off. He waited for Jack to bring up whatever was on his mind. They were just about finished eating the pizza they'd had delivered from Frankie & Johnny's when Jack finally got around to saying something.

"Hey, Ennis," Jack said tentatively.

"Hey, Jack," Ennis answered. He knew Jack was getting around to talking about whatever was bothering him so he waited patiently, but was getting a little worried because usually Jack was one to forge ahead, and he wasn't this time.

Finally Jack said, "I didn't want to put a damper on the weekend but I really need to tell you this. I had a call from Dad today and he plans to come see the house Tuesday afternoon."

Ennis breathed a sigh of relief because even though he wasn't jumping for joy over the news, they'd both expected this, and compared to other things, this was manageable. He tried to be reassuring. "It'll be fine, Jack."

"Easy for you to say. You won't be there."

"I can arrange to be home if you want," Ennis said. His heart wasn't in it but he hoped that Jack couldn't tell.

"I appreciate you saying that, but that's alright, I can handle it."

Ennis could tell that Jack was trying to sound less downtrodden than he felt and he tried to sound sincere as he said, "You sure, cause I can be there."

Jack smiled. "No, Ennis, don't change your schedule. I'll be fine...there may be some pieces to pick up when you get home though."

"Don't go thinking the worst. Maybe it'll go as smoothly as it did with your mama."

"Yeah, maybe." Jack had a look on his face that told Ennis he wanted to say more but was holding back.

"Jack...what is it?"

"It's just that...well, you know I want them to know eventually."

"I know, me too...really I do." After being silent for a few seconds, Ennis went on, "You go on ahead and tell him if you want. It's okay with me."

Jack chuckled softly. "The sigh at the end of that statement tells me you're not one-hundred percent ready, but hearing you say it, and being willing, well, it means a lot to me."

"When he first gets there, remind him of the party coming up at Lureen's for Bobby's birthday. That'll get you on his good side right off, especially since he was disappointed last year when no one was included in Bobby's party," smiled Ennis.

Jack smiled back, "Sounds like a good idea, friend."

They tried to put any negative thoughts out of their minds and not let this spoil their weekend. They did a pretty good job of it too. They enjoyed their time at the beach and were able to relax despite the visit from John looming. They even took the boat out for most of Saturday and had a nice dinner at Tony P's Dockside Grill later that night. They got home Sunday in the early evening.

They had stopped at the store on their way home. Their routine was to grocery shop on Sundays, each taking a cart and half their list to get done faster. Ennis had bought the ingredients he'd need for his Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli that he was planning to prepare that night. Jack always told him not to cook when they'd been out late, they could have a frozen dinner or something, but Ennis said it relaxed him, so he always did. Jack usually couldn't get his plan in order as far ahead as Sunday for what he wanted to cook on his night, so he'd end up revisiting the store. This week he'd decided what he wanted to cook and thrown what he'd need into the shopping cart. Chicken Enchiladas was one of the new recipes he'd made once that went over well with Ennis. Only took him an hour including baking.

When they got home to an empty house, Jack said, "We're going to have to get with it and start thinking more about getting at least a cat to hold down the fort while we're gone."

Ennis smiled, "We'll do that soon."

...

Jack opened the front door to invite his dad in. "Hey, Dad, glad you could come," he said, as he stepped aside to let John in.

"I'm glad I could finally get over here too. Can't believe it took us this long to get together," John said. He quickly glanced around as he stepped inside, and said, "It looks exactly like Denise said. I almost feel like I've been here she gave me so many details."

Jack noticed that John seemed a little nervous. They had something in common, because God knows he was too.

"Can I get you something to drink? I've got beer, ice tea, Coke..."

"A beer sounds good."

"Okay, sure, we'll start the tour in the kitchen then." Jack smiled his best smile. "Right this way," as he headed toward the kitchen, first stopping in the dining area to show John their view from the window by the table, then onward to the kitchen to get them each a beer. Jack hoped it would take awhile downstairs because he was apprehensive about going upstairs to the bedrooms. He wondered if his face would show all his secrets as John looked at the rooms up there.

John seemed impressed with the downstairs. Jack took him out to the backyard too, and took his time showing him the garden and pool. John was surprised when Jack told him he'd planted most of the flowers and that he enjoyed working in the yard. While they were out there, Jack thought he heard the door bell.

"Excuse me, Dad; I'm pretty sure I heard the door bell. Better go see who it is."

Jack opened the door to Pete Harper from the next house over. "Hi there, Pete. Uh, what can I do for you?"

"I was hoping to borrow a rake. You know, that narrow one you've got that fits between the flower beds so good."

"Sure, Pete, no problem. Uh, come on out to the backyard and I'll get it for you, and I'll introduce you to my dad."

"Oh, you've got company. Should have known when I saw a strange car in the driveway. Sorry I barged in."

"You're not barging in, Pete," Jack said as they walked toward the back door. _Long as you don't say anything about me and Ennis that is._

As they walked outside, Jack said, "Dad, this is Pete Harper, our neighbor. Pete, this is my dad, John Twist."

The two men shook hands and Pete couldn't tell John enough good things about Jack, going on and on about how great a neighbor he was.

Jack fidgeted with his feet as he stood with his hands crammed into his pockets. He hesitated a second before asking, "Can I get you a beer or something?"

"No, no, I'll just take the rake and get on my way. I've got some yard work to tend to. I'll get this back to you by tomorrow."

_Thank God he's leaving before he said anything._ "No hurry about the rake."

After Pete had gone John said, "He seems like a nice man. I hope he didn't hurry off on my account."

"Yeah, he's real nice. So's his wife, Esther. They come over pretty often, and Ennis and I try to go over there occasionally too, because they seem lonely, and just like now, I think Pete sometimes makes up reasons to come over, just to have something to do with himself."

When it was impossible to stall any longer, they went back inside and up the stairs. John took in all Jack showed him, especially being impressed with the kid's rooms, not able to keep the smile off his face at how they'd decorated those rooms. He was especially impressed with the barn shaped headboard on Bobby's bed. He also loved the views from the decks of the master bedrooms, but was concerned about the kids getting out there and getting hurt.

"I can just see Bobby in another couple years thinking he's Super Man and trying to fly off the balcony."

Jack put his mind at ease when he showed him the child security lock device on the sliding glass doors. "Don't forget Bobby's birthday party coming up," Jack reminded his dad.

"Yeah, two years old, already. Your mom and I are looking forward to it."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief when John took it all in stride about the two master bedrooms. He didn't make much of a comment about it in fact. Jack didn't really know what that meant, but at least he hadn't made any remarks that Jack had to defend or explain.

Before John had arrived, Jack hid the pictures of himself and Ennis that they'd had out, just in case it gave off the wrong vibes. He left the ones of them with the kids though. He also kept his ring on which he hadn't taken off since Ennis placed it on his finger. His mom hadn't mentioned it so she must not have noticed, and he didn't think his dad would either. He wondered what John had thought of the painting on the wall in the living room of the two men in the canoe. He hadn't said anything. Jack had tried to draw his attention to the unique fireplace instead, and also pointed out where he had his piano in the room off the living room.

When they got downstairs, Jack took their empty beer bottles and set them on the mantle, and asked John if he wanted another. John looked preoccupied and didn't answer. He looked like he was somewhere else, lost in thought. Jack started to become concerned, and wondered if maybe his dad wasn't feeling well.

As he was about to ask if he was alright, John looked at Jack and said, not in an angry voice, but quite calmly, "There's something you're not saying about you and Ennis, isn't there?"

Jack knew his worst fears were being realized. He knew he couldn't run and hide from this, and didn't want to. He hoped his dad could accept this, but if he couldn't, so be it. He looked his dad in the eye and said, "I'm in love with him, Dad."

John looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes as if he was gathering his thoughts. Jack had no idea what was going through his dad's mind, and waited for him to say something. As the seconds ticked by, he wondered if he would ever speak, and became concerned about him. When his dad remained silent, Jack felt he needed to say more so asked, "Dad, are you o.k?"

John still didn't say anything, just rubbed his hand over his face, so Jack went on, "Dad, I know you must be shocked. Hell, I was shocked too when this happened. I mean, me and Ennis...we never meant for this to happen..."

Jack just didn't know what to say. How could he explain this to his father, a man who he felt he was already on shaky ground, despite the past couple of years after Bobby had come along and things had improved.

Finally, Jack simply said, "He's everything to me."

John looked up and locked eyes with Jack. "You're happy?"

"Yes, I am, happier than I ever thought possible."

John let out a breath and looked at Jack with clarity in his eyes that Jack could never remember seeing. John said slowly, "You know, despite how I'm acting, I'm really not shocked by this." He paused before going on. "I think I've known for a long time, just thought if no one said it out loud, it wouldn't be true." After several more seconds of silence he asked, "Who started this anyway? How long has it been going on?"

Jack was taken by surprise by that question and said, "That's kind of personal, Dad."

An embarrassed smile came to John's face and he quickly said, "Of course...forget I asked that. God, I don't know what I was thinking." He gave a nervous laugh.

"That's okay." Jack was starting to feel sick himself now. He couldn't read his dad's mind, and really had no idea what he was thinking, but he was thankful they weren't in a shouting match by now.

About that time, both men heard the door from the garage to the kitchen open, and in walked Ennis, home from work. Jack thought to himself, "Is it that late already?" He hoped against hope that things wouldn't deteriorate and they all ended up in ruins.

"Hi," Ennis said in a tentative voice. When no one answered, he said, "Uh, am I interrupting something?"

Jack and John started to speak at the same time, but John spoke over Jack, "Hello, Ennis. Of course you're not interrupting anything. Come in. Here I am telling you to come in when it's your house," he chuckled.

Ennis slowly walked over to where Jack and John stood.

"You've got a beautiful place here," John said to Ennis, and to Jack's surprise, reached out to draw Ennis into a hug with one arm, as he drew Jack to him with his other, and they stood that way for several seconds. Ennis and Jack were speechless.

In a subdued voice John said, "Well boys, I've got to be on my way. Thanks again, Jack, for showing me the house. It's really great, and you've both done a lot with it."

He headed for the door, wasting no time. Jack gave Ennis a raised eyebrow look and left him standing with a confused expression as he walked his dad out. In the driveway, John quickly said, "I'll see you at Bobby's party if not sooner," as he hurried to his car and was gone in a flash, leaving Jack wondering what he had really thought about the whole thing.

When Jack got back inside he said to Ennis, "I hope we've got something stronger than beer around here."

"What the hell is going on anyway? Care to fill me in?"

"Sure, let's go see what we've got to drink first."

Jack found nothing but beer and wine, so said beer would do. He took two bottles out of the refrigerator, and he and Ennis sat at the table in the kitchen while Jack filled Ennis in on what had transpired.

"Actually, there's not much to say," Jack said, and then took a long drink of his beer.

"What do you mean, there's not much to say?"

"You pretty much know everything I do. I'd just told him about us less than five minutes before you came in."

"And?"

"And...well, you saw what he did when you came in."

"But what did he do _before _I came in?"

"Well, not much. It might be easier to say what he _didn't _do rather than what he did do."

"Jack, you're not making a lotta sense."

"Sorry, I'm just a little confused right now."

Ennis squeezed Jack's forearm and took a big drink of his own beer. "Just start at the beginning. What exactly did you say when you told him?"

"Well, I didn't really tell him."

"Jesus, Jack, do I have to pull every word out of you to get any information?"

That made Jack stop and stare at Ennis, then break into a big smile. Ennis seemed to realize the irony of what he had said, causing him to smile and chuckle.

Jack got serious again. "It seems that Dad had it figured out for awhile now."

"Go on."

"After we'd seen the whole house and had come back downstairs, he looked kinda strange and asked me if there was something I wasn't saying about me and you."

"And that's when you told him?"

"Yeah. And he said he wasn't surprised...God, it was all just so unreal."

As Jack calmed down some, and started to think a little more clearly, he asked, "Hey, did you get home early or what? I was blown away when you happened to walk in at that moment."

Ennis looked a little shy and said, "Well, yeah, I was able to take off from work a little early...was kinda nervous, wanted to come home and see what was happening. I didn't know if I'd get here when your daddy was still here but I wanted to try."

That put a wide grin on Jack's face. "Thanks, Ennis."

Ennis smiled back. "No problem."

Jack started to speak but stopped so Ennis asked, "Something you're not saying?"

"No, just wondering what Dad's gonna say to Mom. Guess I should have been the one to tell her all this, but I'm sure he'll be telling her when he gets home."

"She loves you, she'll understand." Ennis went on, "What did he say before he drove off?"

"Just said he'd see me at Bobby's party."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"I guess so. It's just that it was all really strange. What a day. It seems so surreal," Jack said again.

After finishing the last of their beers, Ennis looked at Jack and said, "Considering the day we've had, I've got an idea, something to get our minds off all this. Since all we need to do for dinner is order takeout..."

Jack knew exactly what Ennis had on his mind so stood right up, headed toward the stairs and said, "You don't have to ask me twice."

"Figured you'd say that."

"Can't help it if you're so sexy I can't keep my hands off you."

"You're not so bad yourself."

"Keep that sweet talk up and we might not make it up to our room."

"Promises, promises," Ennis said as they jogged the rest of the way up the stairs.

_To Be Continued..._


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The morning after John's visit, Ennis could tell that Jack had a lot on his mind. Ennis hurried to make breakfast, which wasn't an everyday thing these days with their busy schedules, but he wanted to make the effort to give Jack a healthy breakfast, and have some time to sit and talk.

When they finished their oatmeal and English muffins, Ennis said, "How bout we get another cup of coffee and go sit on the patio?"

"Sounds good," Jack said halfheartedly.

They sat for awhile as they looked out at their peaceful little slice of heaven before Jack spoke. "Guess I need to call Mom today, see how she's feeling." He sounded sad and looked even sadder.

"Probably be a good idea. Try not to have any preconceived notions. She's probably just fine."

"I sure wish I knew what Dad said to her when he got home."

"Well, the only way to find out is to call...or maybe you'd be better off to go over."

"I wouldn't want to get there when Dad's there." Jack looked deep in thought.

They finished their coffee and went back inside to gather what they needed and get on their way. After a long slow kiss at the back door, Ennis left, but not before he made Jack promise to call him as soon as he'd spoken to Denise.

...

Jack wished he didn't have an appointment that morning because he really wanted to either call or see his mom as soon as he could, but it would have to wait until after lunch.

As soon as Jack got his morning work finished, he decided to call his mother. If she sounded upset, he'd drive out to see her in person; otherwise, a phone call might be enough. For all he knew, maybe his dad hadn't even said anything, but that was unlikely. In his heart he knew she wouldn't turn away from him, but he felt bad for not having told her himself, and hoped she'd understand.

Jack tapped his fingers on the desk as the phone rang - one, two, three times, and his mom answered with, "Hello, Jack."

Her voice sounded pleasant, not angry, although she'd called him Jack instead of honey. He hoped he was reading more into that than there was. In any case he went ahead.

"Hi, Mom, it's me." He felt silly then, because she already knew it was him.

Jack was relieved when his mom began the conversation, but was almost at a loss for words when she said, "Your dad told me all about his visit to your place yesterday."

"He did?...All of it, huh?..." Jack tried to run that through his mind, gauging her tone and everything else, trying to decide if she meant what he thought she did, and decided that was her way of telling him as much.

"Well, I sorta figured he would...Mom, I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you in person." Jack felt awful, so much so that his stomach had started to hurt. He had a fleeting thought about his migraines, and thanked his lucky stars they were gone.

"Jack, I don't know why you didn't tell me the day you showed me the house. Did you think I wouldn't understand - that I wouldn't accept it?" She sounded on the verge of anger, but mostly she sounded confused and hurt.

"If it's any consolation, I wouldn't have told Dad either but he kinda came right out and asked. Then it was actually a relief to get the opportunity to get it off my chest."

"I wish you hadn't felt you had to keep this from us."

"You know how Dad is. In fact, I'm blown away that he didn't disown me when I told him."

"He's come a very long way. I hope you know how hard he tries."

"I'm seeing that, and I really appreciate it, and the part you've played in how he is now."

"I didn't do much; he's done it on his own."

Jack wasn't sure if that was really true, but he didn't argue, leaving well enough alone.

After a pause Denise went on, "Well, back to you and your living arrangement. You told your dad you love Ennis."

"Yeah, I do." He couldn't help but smile as he said that.

"And he loves you too?"

"Yes, he does."

"Then I'm happy for the both of you, and I mean that with all my heart. I just want all the best for you, honey."

Jack's voice was thick with emotion as he choked out, "Thanks, Mom."

"This might not be easy though, the path you're taking."

"I know, but it's the only path there is for me."

"Do Lureen and Alma know?"

"No, they haven't been told yet."

Jack was glad when he didn't get a lecture about that, and he was relieved when his mom changed the subject.

"We're looking forward to Bobby's birthday. Can't wait for his party."

"Hope the weather's nice since it's planned for outdoors."

They ended the conversation on that note, and said they'd see each other at the party. Jack breathed a sigh of relief when they hung up, although he wasn't any surer of how his mom really felt as he was about his dad's feelings. At least on the surface they were all right with it. He called Ennis.

...

Ennis had concerns about this get together with everyone at Lureen's, but of course he wanted to help celebrate Bobby's birthday and spend time with Junior, so he tried not to dwell on the fact that Jack's folks would be there, not to mention, Alma and Monroe.

Jack went into the kitchen and saw Ennis looking out into the backyard. "Nice day, huh?"

"Yeah, a real nice day for a pool party."

"Guess we better get the birthday packages into the car so we can get going." Jack himself could have sounded a little more enthused. Ennis figured he had the same misgivings as he did.

Jack had gotten Bobby a liftoff rocket set complete with astronauts, dune buggy, and an alien. He'd even made sure to get batteries for it. When he'd shown it to Ennis in "Toys R Us," Ennis remarked that Jack was the one who'd be anxious to play with it, and had given him a teasing smile. Ennis was impressed with himself because of the gift he'd chosen for Bobby, a "little doctor's kit."

Ennis pulled his car into Lureen's drive-way. Jack was supposed to help set things up, so had told Ennis he could wait and come later, but Ennis had wanted to help too, so they were there together. Ennis was concerned about seeing John and Denise. It was an uncomfortable situation not knowing what to expect.

Lureen seemed to be in a good mood and the three of them got the patio and pool area decorated in no time. Bobby was inside with his nanny, Tina. It had worked out well when Jack and Lureen had hired Tina because she was also experienced with housework and cooking so Lureen relied on her a lot. In fact, she trusted her like part of the family.

"You didn't forget your camera, did you, Jack?" Lureen asked, batting her eyes at him in a joking manner.

"No, of course not, it's out in the car. You didn't forget the cake, did you?" Jack teased.

"No, I've got it. Tina picked it up from the bakery earlier."

Just then Tina came out of the house with Bobby. "Hey, Tina. Lureen working you hard enough? I hope she's paying you double for today." Jack smiled and took Bobby from her arms.

Bobby was antsy to get down, so Jack called out to Ennis, "Mind keeping an eye on him while I go get my camera?"

"No problem. Let him down, I'll keep him out of trouble."

It wasn't long before the guests started to arrive. Lureen had invited a few of her girlfriends from The Purple Butterfly with their husbands and kids, along with Alma, Monroe, and Junior, and of course Jack's parents, who she had remained close to.

Alma and Ennis were civil to each other. He exchanged a few words with her and Monroe when they arrived. Later, he saw Jack greet them and shake Monroe's hand.

"What did you think?" Ennis asked, after Jack had met Monroe.

"Well, he's nothing like you. Kinda surprised Alma picked someone like him, but of course I'm just going by looks. Obviously you two weren't matched well at all. I hope they're real happy together."

Just then John and Denise arrived. "Where's Bobby? I need him when I go say hello," Jack said.

"You're gonna use Bobby as a shield?" Ennis asked.

"It can't hurt," Jack said, as he grabbed Bobby as he scurried by.

It seemed to work. Ennis noticed both John and Denise lit up with big smiles when they said hello to their son and grandson. It was obvious that Bobby was excited to see his grandma and grandpa, and was probably especially impressed when he saw the big present they carried with them.

Part of what Jack had agreed to in order to help Lureen was to cook hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. If Jack needed help, Ennis was prepared to step in when needed. It turned out that John helped, which made Ennis feel good to see him and Jack working together that way.

Ennis sat down next to Denise and hoped things would feel normal between them. "Can I get you anything?" Ennis asked.

Denise smiled as she lifted her glass of ice tea. "No, I'm fine. Nice to see you, Ennis," she said, with warmth in her eyes. Ennis felt a bit of relief wash over him.

Some of the kids got into the pool with several of the adults. The kids ranged in age from about two to six. Junior was in heaven with so many playmates. Ennis knew she'd take to preschool like a fish to water come the fall.

Lunch was great, and everyone enjoyed it. Lureen and Tina had made Three Bean Salad, Macaroni Salad, and Potato Salad to go with the burgers and hot dogs. Ennis and Jack sat with John and Denise, and there didn't seem to be any tension in the air.

Jack had a belated Mother's Day gift for his mom as she and John had been out of town on that holiday. She seemed surprised to see a little box being presented to her, as Jack gave her a smile. "Happy Mother's Day, Mom," he said.

"Honey, you didn't need to get me anything!"

She opened the little box and found a beautiful heart shaped sterling silver pendent inside. She smiled and seemed extremely touched by the lovely gift, to the point of getting teary eyed.

"That was awfully thoughtful of you, honey. John, can you help me put it on?"

John held the pendent up and read, "Grandmother - A wonderful mother, with lots of practice." He smiled and said, "That's going to look very nice on you."

"I'll cherish it," she said as John fastened it around her neck. She kissed Jack on the cheek.

Jack glanced at Ennis and smiled. Ennis had been shopping with Jack the day he'd picked it out and had helped him decide on it.

"We have something to ask you two," Denise said.

Ennis winced and thought, "Oh, God, what's coming?" Jack looked apprehensive too.

"Boys, John and I would like to take you to dinner. You just let us know when a good night is, and we'll go out. How would that be?"

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Jack said, "Uh, that sounds fine." He slowly looked at Ennis and tentatively asked, "Alright with you, Ennis?"

"Sure, fine with me." Ennis didn't really know how to bow out gracefully, so felt he had no choice.

"Okay, then, let's all check our schedules and we'll get together. It'll be fun," Denise said.

Jack looked relieved when Lureen announced that it was time for the gifts and the attention was diverted to that. He was kept busy snapping pictures while Bobby opened his gifts with John and Lureen's help.

As Bobby opened his multi activity play table from Lureen she looked right at Jack and said, "It requires assembly by an adult." Everyone laughed.

Bobby received very nice gifts from both sets of grandparents. John and Denise gave their grandson Play and Learn games and puzzles. The Newsoms had sent a Rock, Roll and Ride Trike.

"Watch him go on that!" Denise said with a laugh.

He also received various games, puzzles and little cars from the other guests. "He made out like a bandit. This is worse than Christmas," Jack said to Ennis.

"He's only two once," Ennis said, with a wide smile on his face as he held Junior on his lap.

"And this one will be four soon," Jack said as he tickled Junior on the knee and watched her jump and squeal.

It was soon time for the cake. It was very impressive at nearly a foot tall with two thick layers, all done in yellow. The decorations on it looked like bananas with green leaves. A small sign on the side read "Bobby's 2nd Birthday."  
>Finishing off the top was a monkey holding a package hanging from a tree branch adorned with little candy bananas. All the kids went wild when they saw it.<p>

"Guess Lureen knows how to pick out a cake," Jack said as he grabbed his camera again.

Alma helped Lureen and Tina serve the cake and ice cream. "We even get ice cream," Jack said. Ennis smiled, happy that Jack was having a good time.

As the afternoon wore on people gathered their things, rounded up their kids and said their goodbyes.

"Ennis and I can help clean up," Jack said to Lureen.

"Alma and Monroe are staying, but thanks for offering. You two may as well go on. I've worked you hard enough for one day."

"Okay, we'll get going then. You did a great job with the party," Jack said as he kissed Lureen's cheek.

"Yeah, great party," Ennis said with a smile. He and Jack walked out with John and Denise after the four of them gave Bobby more hugs and kisses, and also said goodbye to Junior.

When they got to the drive-way, John pulled Jack aside. He looked serious and Jack soon did too. Ennis couldn't hear them, and wondered what they were talking about.

On the drive home, Jack was very quiet. Ennis couldn't help but ask what John had said. "That is, if you want to tell me," he said, feeling that maybe he was butting in.

Jack sighed and said, "Well, he told me that Lureen got him alone this afternoon and asked if I was seeing someone. Said she was sure I was, and wanted to know if Dad knew who. I asked what he told her and he said nothing. He told her she needed to ask me. Guess she had a feeling Dad knew something, but she let it drop."

Ennis did some sighing of his own.

"Dad's opinion is that I should tell her the truth, and soon."

"Yeah," Ennis said.

"My feeling is, if I tell Lureen, you need to tell Alma too, because she'd hear it from Lureen sure as anything, and she should hear it from you."

"God only knows what Alma will say," Ennis said quietly.

"Yeah," Jack said, and went on, "At least I think Lureen will be okay with the situation once the shock wears off, if she's even going to be shocked."

Unfortunately the day ended on a bit of a downer with that problem hanging out there. Between that, and the upcoming dinner with Jack's folks, Ennis felt the strain of the day weighing on him. Jack looked tired and Ennis knew it was all bothering him too.

That night they retired earlier than usual, and snuggled up close the way they liked it, content to hold each other until sleep took them, always feeling stronger when they were together.

_To Be Continued..._


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Jack was weeding the garden one afternoon after he arrived home earlier than usual. As he worked, many thoughts bounced around in his head. One thing he couldn't get out of his mind was the fact that he and Ennis hadn't talked to Lureen and Alma yet. Jack felt disgusted with himself for having put it off for so long. _I'm getting as bad as Ennis in the procrastination department._ The summer had been going so well though, and they'd been having a lot of fun times, so telling their ex-wives something like what they needed to didn't really seem to fit. But they had to be told. He and Ennis had agreed to that. Jack decided he was going to go see Lureen before the upcoming July Fourth holiday. That was his goal, and he was going to stick to it. He hoped Ennis would take care of his end of the deal and go see Alma too.

Jack and Ennis were disappointed they weren't going to have the kids for the holiday, but Alma was adamant she wanted Junior to be with her for the Fourth of July because there was some kind of special picnic they were going to with Monroe. Ennis accepted it even though he was already unhappy about Junior's fourth birthday coming up. Alma planned to take Junior to Monroe's folk's home in Northern California over that date. Ennis had tried to persuade her to make it another time, but there was no getting through to her. Ennis felt she was just dong it to be mean. Well, he would have a couple weekends in July with her, and Lureen and Alma had at least arranged their schedules for the most part to make sure Junior and Bobby had their weekends together with Jack and Ennis.

On one of the upcoming weekends they had big plans. They were taking the kids to help pick out their pets. Jack tried to keep this in mind as he thought about the more unpleasant task that was coming up.

Ennis and Jack finally came to a decision on when they would have their talks with the girls. It was on a work day, so they had to sweat it out until the end of the day. Jack wasn't able to get it totally out of his mind while he tried to work. He was sure that Ennis was having a hard time too.

Jack gave Ennis a call as he was leaving the studio on his way to see Lureen. He half expected Ennis to say he'd decided not to go see Alma, but he didn't, and was planning to leave shortly. "Good luck, see you at home," were his last words to Jack. "I love you," were Jack's to Ennis.

...

"Would you like something to drink?" asked Lureen first thing after Jack arrived.

"Uh, well, okay, what have you got?"

"Iced tea be alright?"

"Sure, fine."

"Bobby's outside with Tina. I asked her to stay late to watch him since you said you wanted to talk in private," Lureen said with a curious look on her face as she poured the tea. She set the tall glasses down on the table and passed the sugar to Jack.

As Jack stirred in sugar, Lureen said, "Well?"

Jack looked up at her and tried to calm himself down so he could begin. He took some deep breaths. "Lureen, there's something I've needed to tell you." Jack seemed to have run out of words already..._maybe I am turning into Ennis._

"Okay...Well?" Lureen said.

Jack could see that she was getting impatient already.

"Jack, what's this about?"

"Okay, there's really no easy way to say this...I just want you to know that Ennis and I...well, Ennis and I...we're more than friends now..."

Jack hoped that would be enough to get his point across because he felt extremely nervous and couldn't find any more words, which was not like him at all, but seeing his ex-wife's face across from him, and trying to tell her that he loved his best friend, was making him feel very uncomfortable.

"You and Ennis are more than friends," Lureen said matter-of-factly.

Jack just sat there feeling ill at ease while taking big gulps of his tea. When he didn't say any more, it seemed like the light started to come on in Lureen's head.

"Oh...Uh...you mean you and Ennis...Jack, what exactly do you mean?"

At this point Jack wished he could be someplace else, anywhere else. He couldn't believe how much more difficult this was turning out to be than telling his folks. He knew he needed to come to the point and make himself clear, so he finally said, "Lureen, we're in love."

Lureen had a shocked look on her face, but it was soon replaced with a smile. "Oh...right...I see...you guys live together like a couple?"

"Yes, that's what I said...or what I was trying to say."

After a brief silence, Lureen said in a quiet voice, "Jesus, Jack, you could knock me over with a feather right about now." She still had a smile on her face. "I wondered why you two would buy a house. Guess I know now." She shook her head. "Do your folks know?"

"Yeah, they both know."

"Oh, my God, what did your daddy say?"

"Not much actually. Mom either. They both just sorta went on as if nothing was any different. Kind of scares me, them not really having said much about it... but anyway, at least they're still speaking to me. That time when Dad blew up when I told him we were separating, when he apologized, he told me he'd never act that way again, so I guess he meant it."

"Well, that's real good, Jack."

Jack looked at Lureen and felt very lucky to have her as a friend. He never wanted to hurt her, and he cared what she thought. "How about you? You gonna still be speaking to me?"

"Well, sure, why not? I mean...just how long has this been going on anyway?"

When Jack remained silent her face took on an understanding look, and from the tone she used, Jack felt she was trying to cut him some slack and make it easier on him. Why, he had no idea, but he took the out she gave him when she said, "I guess after we all split up, while you two were living on the boat together you kind of, shall we say, bonded?"

"That's one way to put it." Jack hoped they could leave it at that. He didn't want to lie, but didn't want to hurt her either by admitting they'd gotten together while he was still with her.

Lureen dropped the subject and they finished their tea. She gave him some strange looks and odd smiles, but if that's all he had to endure he felt he was home free.

After a short time Lureen said, "I guess I can tell Tina she can go now. You want to spend some time with Bobby, don't you?"

Before Jack could answer, Lureen's face became concerned as she asked, "What about Alma? Does she know any of this?"

"Ennis is over at her place right now trying to tell her," Jack said.

"You sound worried...and rightly so...Jack, she's still very bitter."

"Shit, I really hope she doesn't cause any problems over this."

"I'll do what I can."

"Thanks, you've been a real friend." Jack reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. As they stood up they gave each other a hug. A lot of the tension Jack felt melted away in that hug. _Now if only Ennis is doing this well with Alma._

_...  
><em>

Ennis wasted no time getting out to his car to leave Alma's, glad it was at least over with. He hadn't expected it to go very well, and it hadn't. He'd liked to have seen Junior after their conversation, but even had she been there, he was in no frame of mind. Alma had sent Brenda and Junior out on an errand so they could talk privately. "Talk," that was a laugh. "Yell," was more like it. Ennis really didn't care. Jack would be waiting for him at home, or at least would get home shortly, and that was all he needed.

As Ennis drove back to the house, the sound of Alma's harsh words rang in his ears..."You and Jack! I can't believe it! No wonder you got that house together...and that ring. It's some sort of commitment ring, isn't it? You said it was to keep women away...well, I guess it was. What a joke! I think the joke's on me...all those years we were married!"

He thought back to what he could have maybe done differently to break the news gentler, but he'd done his best. It wasn't his fault she was hurt, upset and angry. As he tried to calm her down he tried to reason with her, "Alma, you have Monroe, why are you so upset that I have someone too? Don't I deserve some happiness, same as you?"

"With your best friend? Ennis, this just blows my mind. I can't comprehend it!"

Hopefully after it sinks in she'll be able to accept it, Ennis thought. Luckily he'd remembered to tell her Anna knew nothing of this yet, and to please let him be the one to tell her. Alma had always gotten on with Anna. He felt sure she wouldn't do anything cruel to hurt her.

The last thing he'd said to Alma was, "I'll be here to pick Junior up on the eleventh for the weekend. Have a happy Fourth of July." He half expected her to scream at him that he wasn't taking Junior anymore, but at least she hadn't said anything about him not coming for her, so hopefully all would be okay there. He'd hate for there to be a problem where he had to go back to court or something. _Calm down, Ennis….No use borrowing trouble._

_...  
><em>

When Jack got home, anxious to hear how things went with Alma, he called out Ennis' name as he opened the door. Ennis' car was in the garage but there was no answer. He called up the stairs, still no answer. Jack was surprised to find him out in the backyard raking leaves and debris from under the small shrubs.

"I thought you didn't like yard work. What are you doing?"

"Oh, I don't know...maybe it's not so bad. Seems good for getting rid of nervous energy."

"Is it safe to assume things didn't go very well with Alma?"

"Let's go inside and I'll tell you all about it."

As they sat down with their beer, Jack asked, "Was Alma upset, or is that a stupid question?"

"Well, she didn't throw anything besides words."

"How bad was it?"

"At least she didn't say anything about me not seeing Junior, so I can take whatever else she said with a grain of salt. How bout Lureen?"

"She was alright with it all; at least she appeared to be. Even said she'd talk to Alma about it. Try and help her deal with the whole thing."

Ennis looked relieved. "Guess it could have been a lot worse."

"God, I'm glad it's over," Jack said.

"After Alma thinks about it, I'm hoping she calms down rather than gets any madder."

They decided pizza sounded good for their dinner, so ordered one delivered, and talked some more about the day's events as they ate. After they finished, Jack started clearing the table and Ennis stood and said, "Leave it. Let's call it a day and head upstairs."

Jack gave Ennis a hug and said, "Sounds good. You alright, friend?"

"Yeah," Ennis said, his eyes locked on Jack's mouth. He closed in for a kiss. He pulled away and whispered, "I'm putting all the crap on the shelf for tonight. Any left over problems can wait. I don't wanna think about anything but you right now."

...

The Thursday before Ennis was to pick Junior up for the weekend, he dialed Alma's number to confirm. As the phone rang, he thought to hell with Alma. She didn't have a clue. He thanked his lucky stars he'd gotten himself out of that relationship, and felt sorry for Monroe, but to each his own. When they'd said hello, to his relief, she sounded normal, although normal was never friendly, but no more unfriendly than before. She said Junior would be ready Friday evening, so that was something he could be grateful for.

Jack would also pick Bobby up that evening, and Saturday they'd all make a trip to PetSmart to see what was available for adoption.

Friday night, Ennis cooked macaroni and cheese, and ground turkey patties for everyone's dinner. Jack cut carrot and celery sticks, and smeared peanut butter on the celery. They had discussed whether to tell the kids about Saturday morning's planned activity and decided they wouldn't be able to sleep if they knew, so would wait until the morning. Junior was chattering enough as it was, and Bobby was doing a real good job talking in his many short sentences. He was a talker same as Jack, Ennis silently thought, and couldn't keep the smile off his face. After dinner, the kids played with Bobby's alphabet train, while Jack and Ennis cleaned up the dishes and watched some t.v.

"They get along great, don't they?" Ennis said as he observed Junior trying to teach Bobby what she knew about the alphabet.

"Yeah, and Junior's real good for Bobby. He's a smart one for two, don't you think?" Before Ennis could answer, Jack went on, "I think a lot of it is because Junior's always teaching him things...He's pretty advanced for two, doing pretty good on the potty training too. Tina has been real good teaching him."

"He's a good boy, Jack."

After a little silence except for the t.v., Ennis asked, "You excited about tomorrow?"

"Who, me?" Jack laughed.

Shortly they decided it was pajama time for the kids so they all went upstairs. After Junior and Bobby were tucked in, and Jack and Ennis had stepped out into the hallway, Ennis heard Jack sigh as if he wanted to say something. He looked into Jack's eyes and tried to read his thoughts and had a pretty good idea what he might have on his mind.

With a little apprehension, Ennis said, "Out with it. What are you thinking about?"

"You're not gonna make me sleep in the other room tonight, are you?"

"That's the way we've been doing this when the kids are here."

"But, Ennis, when we've been on the boat with them, we sleep in the same bed so I don't know why we've gotta sleep in separate rooms here."

"There's only the two beds in the boat."

"So that's a big difference, huh?"

Ennis just looked at Jack, wishing he didn't feel this way and could give Jack what he wanted.

"Alma knows now and she didn't say anything about our sleeping arrangement, did she?"

"No."

"Well, she must not think it's bad for Junior, so..."

"But if Junior should get up in the night and come looking for me..."

"We'd be dressed." When Ennis didn't say anything Jack went on. "I think we should just act like it's normal and natural. I know the reason we couldn't do it from the beginning was because you thought Junior might say something to Alma, but now Alma knows so I don't see any reason we can't just be ourselves, within reason of course, when the kids are here."

Ennis' heart felt so full when he looked at Jack's hopeful blue eyes. "I see what you're saying...I guess now's about as good a time as any to start using one room...but you're staying on your side of the bed and I'm staying on mine."

"Good, glad that's settled." A wide grin filled Jack's face.

...

"I think we're ready to go!" Jack called up the stairs.

"Be right down." Ennis called back.

Jack and the kids were raring to go. During breakfast, Junior and Bobby had been told about "pet adoption day," and they were both excited and could hardly contain themselves. Jack could tell that Bobby didn't really know what was going on but was taking cues from Junior and knew something good was going to happen.

"Hey, about time you got down here. What were you doing up there, making sure you were looking handsome enough to be seen with us?" Jack chuckled, making Junior laugh with Bobby imitating her.

"Very funny, Twist. Give me the keys, I'll drive."

"Why do you wanna drive?"

"Because I don't want the kids learning any more cuss words with you behind the wheel, that's why."

Jack handed Ennis the keys and said with a smile, "I'm not that bad, you just like driving the Land Rover. Okay, kids, let's go pet shopping!"

It wasn't too far and traffic wasn't bad. On their way they talked about dogs and cats, trying to make sure Junior and Bobby knew what to expect and how they'd be required to act with the new pets once they had them.

Ennis gave instructions to Junior. "Darlin', when we get in the store, if Jack puts Bobby down, you hold his hand. Don't let him dart away. And I want you to stay with Jack and me. And try not to scream when you're near the animals because that will scare them. Think you can remember all that?"

"Yes, daddy."

"Good girl."

Junior skipped into the store holding onto Ennis' hand while Jack carried Bobby. Ennis asked Jack, "You got the list of stuff we're gonna need?"

"Sure do, it's in my wallet."

"Good that you brought your wallet, you're gonna need it," Ennis said with amusement.

Junior and Bobby's eyes lit up when they entered the store. They saw the dogs right away. They were in cages out in the middle of the store. Junior nearly squealed but caught herself and clasped her tiny hands over her mouth to stay silent. Jack kept Bobby in his arms. A volunteer with an animal rescue group asked if she could help them.

"I hope so, ma'am," Jack said. "We're looking to adopt a dog and a cat today. We need them to get along with each other of course, and be real friendly with small children, and we'd like full grown pets so they're already pretty much trained, and already fixed with shots."

"I'm sure we can help you out," said the young blonde woman. "All the pets have cards on their cages telling about their background as well as their sex and approximate age. Did you have any certain breed in mind? And is it a small, medium or large dog you're interested in, male or female? And as far as a cat, indoor or outdoor?"

As Jack listened to all this, he heard Ennis mutter, "Jesus, this is complicated."

"I like that one!" Junior said enthusiastically, pointing at a big hairy collie.

"I like!" shouted Bobby, pointing at the collie.

"By the way, my name's Lisa," the volunteer said with a smile.

Jack smiled, let Bobby down, and shook her hand. "I'm Jack, and this is my son, Bobby. He just turned two years old." Jack turned to Ennis and introduced him by saying, "This is my partner, Ennis, and his daughter Junior."

As Lisa shook Ennis' hand, Jack realized he'd just called Ennis his partner, and he felt like going off to a dog house and hiding, never having discussed with Ennis what they would refer to each other as in situations like this. Jack was afraid to make eye contact with Ennis fearing he'd put his foot in his mouth. After a few uncomfortable seconds he ventured a glance at Ennis and he was carrying on as if nothing out of the ordinary had been said. He was looking at the dogs and talking comfortably with Lisa, so Jack felt very much relieved.

"I think this one is a little on the large size for us," Ennis was saying to Lisa about a big spotted dog she said was a Great Dane/Dalmatian cross.

"Look at those long legs," Jack said about the dog in question.

"Long legs!" shouted Bobby.

"Bobby quiet down, son. Sorry, Lisa, seems the only volume our kids know how to talk in is high."

Lisa laughed and said, "No problem."

They established they wanted a male dog with short hair and medium to large in size.

Junior was still taken with the collie and Ennis tried to explain why it wasn't a good dog for them. "Darlin', it would need to be brushed too often to keep its coat nice and it would shed a lot in the house." It wasn't getting through to Junior though, and she was still fixated on that one dog.

"Sweetheart, there's lots of pretty dogs here. Come on; let's look at them all before we decide." Jack said.

"All of them, Jack? And all the cats too? This is gonna be a long day," Ennis said.

The barking and other noise already seemed to be getting to Ennis as Jack noticed him rubbing his temples, but Jack was in his element.

"You having any fun yet, Ennis?" Jack asked.

"Don't mind me, go on and have fun. I won't be a party pooper. I even noticed a cute puppy I liked but that's out for us. We need a house broken dog." Then Ennis chuckled, "You look like a kid in that baseball cap, letting the dogs lick your hands as you try and pet every one of them."

Just then Lisa called them over and said, "Here's a very special dog that we got in not long ago. His card says his owner had a stroke and couldn't care for him anymore. He's nearly two years old, neutered with all shots up to date." As she continued, she said, "Just as I remembered, he's great with kids, cats and other dogs. It says here he's well behaved, and of course housebroken...And look at his eyes. He's a real beauty!"

He was a medium-large dog, about the size Max had been, black with white, and a little tan. The most striking thing about him were his eyes, one brown and one blue. Lisa said he was a Husky/Rottie/Lab mix.

Lisa opened the cage and Jack and Ennis petted him on the head, both very impressed. Junior started dancing around in circles, finally seeming to forget the collie as she said, "His eyes are so pretty!" Bobby chimed in, "His eyes! His eyes!"

"Awwww, he's really beautiful," Jack said. "What do you think about him, Ennis?"

"He's a good looking dog."

"Can we take him aside and look at him closer?" Jack asked Lisa.

She put a collar and leash on him and they walked to a quieter area so Junior and Bobby could get closer and they could see how they all got along. He was a quiet, laid-back dog, and sat down wagging his tail as he was touched and petted and looked at like he was under a microscope. The adults reminded the kids the correct way to touch the dog and not to pull his ears or tail.

Jack made eye contact with Ennis and saw him nod his head slightly. Jack told Lisa they thought he'd do just fine and asked Junior and Bobby what they thought. All of them were in agreement.

"I'll just get him back over to the cage area and start the paper work while you look at the cats then," Lisa said with a smile. "If you need help let me know, but the information is on the cards on the cages."

The four walked over to the cat cages and started looking. Ennis instructed Junior, "We're looking for one with short hair. When you see something you like, ask Uncle Jack and Bobby if they like it too, and then we'll read the card and see if it likes dogs." Jack smiled and could tell that Ennis was really getting into this now.

After much looking, at every cat in the place in fact, they zeroed in on a female short haired grey cat with one patch of white fur on her chest.

After he slipped his glasses on, Ennis read, "She's three years old, spayed, with current shots." He read further, "She likes dogs, other cats, and people, including kids of all ages...So far so good...Used to staying indoors, but has not been declawed. Her owner can't care for her anymore because of illness...How's all that sound?"

"Sounds like she fits the bill. You kids sure this is the one you like?"

"Yes!" they shouted in unison.

Lisa came up behind them and asked, "Did you make a choice?"

Ennis and Jack both answered at the same time, "Sure did." They all laughed.

While Lisa took care of still more paper work, Ennis and the kids followed Jack as he pushed a cart back to where the cat and dog supplies were. Jack veered off the track though, going over to look at the fish first, oohing and aahing at the ones he liked.

"You gonna buy more fish today too?" Ennis asked.

"No, better not, just looking is all. I'll save fish shopping for another day. Better stick to what we came here for."

"Sounds like a good idea. Let's go, Junior and Bobby. Let's help pick out what we need for the new pets. Hold Bobby's hand, Junior," Ennis instructed.

Jack though, just had to stop and look at the birds, then the rats, mice, gerbils and whatever else was in all those cages. "I swear, you're as bad as the kids," Ennis said with a fond smile. "You have your camera ready at home, don't you? We're gonna need pictures of the day we brought our cat and dog home," Ennis said as he followed along behind his perfect little family.

...

It seemed to Ennis like they'd been gone for hours, and checking his watch, it had indeed been many hours and he couldn't believe Jack hadn't mentioned being hungry even once. They had a lot to bring into the house. It would take several trips. Ennis was tired, but truth be told, he'd had the time of his life in the pet store with Jack and the kids.

"Let's get the dog and cat inside first and then we'll come back out for their stuff," Jack suggested.

"Okay, but lets get the kids out first, how'd that be?" Ennis said as he unstrapped Bobby from his car seat."

"Good idea," Jack smiled as he helped Junior out.

When the kids and pets were inside the house, and the cat carrier had been opened, they waited to see how it would go.

"Stand back kids, let our new cat and dog explore first," Jack said.

The dog, which came with the name "Pooky," walked right over by the coffee table and lay down as if he were right at home. The cat, which came with the name "Precious," was more leery, and sniffed every square inch of the floor and bobbed her head around as she looked things over. She wasn't fazed by Pooky, and vice versa.

"We're gonna have to think up some better names," Ennis said.

"Yeah, especially for old Pooky there," chuckled Jack.

"How bout we bring in the stuff and then I fix lunch, and after that, maybe they'll be calmed down enough you can get some pictures."

"Ennis, if Pooky was any calmer he'd be in a coma," snickered Jack.

"Yeah, you're right. I wonder if he's always like this. You think he's tired?"

"Probably is, and a little confused. He'll start feeling more comfortable when he finds out he's home. I'll bet he'll like the yard."

"Yeah, maybe we'd best take him out soon, to see if he needs to go to the bathroom."

"He wet out front on the way in."

"Oh, well then, he's all set for awhile."

As Ennis came in with his second load of purchases, he said, "What the heck did we buy anyway?"

Junior rattled off the answer to that, "Potty box! Potty dirt! Scratchie post! Toys! Food! Dishes!" Bobby joined in, trying to outdo her by hollering out exactly what she said, as usual.

"Sweetheart, can you help me feed our new pets?" Jack asked Junior. "First, we'll have to decide where a good place to put their dishes would be. I know they shouldn't be together or the dog will eat the cat's food along with his own."

"How bout putting the cat's food in the laundry room?" Ennis suggested.

"Good idea. There's space in there for the litter box too. If Pooky still tries to get at her food, we can put it up on a shelf," Jack replied.

"Maybe we can put a cut out in the door to the laundry room if we don't want to leave it ajar all the time," Ennis said.

"Maybe a pet door big enough just for a cat. Pooky's food and water can fit in the little nook by the refrigerator," Jack said.

Junior was delighted by all the preparations and, when it was time to fill the food bowls, she did her job painstakingly well. Bobby followed her from bowl to bowl, making sure she did it right.

"While you finish up there, I'll make lunch," Ennis said.

He made grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and "Ants on a Log." Jack had a funny look on his face as he ate the Ants on a Log, which was like he'd made the night before with the peanut butter on celery sticks, but Ennis placed raisins along the stalks and called them "ants." Bobby was extremely impressed and so was Jack. At first Junior said "Ewwwww!" but after being persuaded to have a taste, she liked them too

Over their meal, they discussed names for their new cat and dog. "I like the name Precious for the kitty," Junior said.

"Darlin', wouldn't it be better to give her a brand new name to go with her new life? Besides, Bobby's not able to say that name very well."

After careful consideration, Junior came up with a few suggestions, and liked Princess quite well. Bobby couldn't pronounce many of the names they were coming up with.

"Daddy, Bobby can't say anything but kitty," Junior said with a disappointed look on her face.

"Guess we could name her Miss Kitty," Jack said.

"Miss Kitty, hey that's not half bad," Ennis said. "How bout that, Junior?"

"Miss Kitty," she said, and then looked deep in thought. "And Bobby can call her Kitty."

So it was settled, the new cat would be Miss Kitty.

Thinking up a good and fitting dog's name proved to be harder. By the end of lunch, none of them could come up with a name they liked, so Ennis suggested, "Why don't we wait awhile and see how his personality shapes up before we chose a name."

"Until then he's stuck with Pooky," Jack laughed.

"I hope we think of something better than that, soon, before it grows on him and we can't change it," Ennis winced.

Before dinner, Pooky had perked up when he got out in the backyard. He played with a ball and even retrieved it to the delight of Junior and Bobby, who both clapped and squealed. Jack took a few pictures of the activity. Ennis gave the kids another refresher course on how to treat their pets. They were both doing well at touching gently, even Bobby.

Over dinner of canned soup and crackers, they discussed dog names again. Same as with the cat names, some they suggested were too difficult for Bobby to pronounce. They all kept at it though, and Ennis finally hit on one they all liked. It was short, easy to say, and seemed to fit their new dog just fine. The name was "Ace." And so it was agreed on, Ace it was.

By bedtime, Miss Kitty had calmed down and made herself comfortable on Junior's bed. Junior found her curled up and purring, and was tickled that the cat chose her to sleep with. Later, Jack got a picture of the sleeping pair.

"I hope she knows where to find the litter box," Ennis worried.

"Don't worry, I showed her, and she used it and knows where it is. Cats are smart, you'll see," Jack said as he got ready to brush his teeth.

"You think we should bring Ace up here to sleep?" Ennis asked.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea. Then he could wake us up if he should need to go out to the bathroom. He might rather stay downstairs though. Guess it's up to him."

"I'm gonna go take him out one more time and then bring him up," Ennis said.

Ace decided to sleep on the floor by the bed and seemed quite content. So far so good with the growing family.

_To Be Continued..._


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The summer days and weeks flew by with Jack and Ennis settling into the task of being owned by pets. Ennis, having never had a pet, was surprised by the amount of time it took to actually care for them. He took it all in stride, even at times cleaning Miss Kitty's litter box, although that was mainly Jack's job.

They enjoyed their outings to Moon Doggy's dog wash. Ennis looked so proud as they walked a clean, silky Ace to their car as people stopped to comment on his one blue and one brown eye. "Who does he look more like, you or me?" Jack would joke after the people passed by, which always made Ennis smile and shake his head.

Miss Kitty loved being with her humans. Jack and Ennis hated leaving her alone when they'd take Ace to the boat for the weekend because she acted so love starved when they returned.

"I don't get it," Jack had said after their first weekend of leaving her. "The little tabby my mom used to have was so independent, she didn't care if anyone was around or not, but Miss Kitty here, she seems to think she's a person or something."

"Might have to get her a playmate to keep her company while we're gone," Ennis joked.

"Or take her with us to the boat. She could be a sailor like Ace," Jack laughed, giving the dog a good body massage.

They took Ace just about everywhere with them. He was a good dog, well behaved and quiet, and he loved riding in the car and SUV. He fit into their lives just fine. He could be let out to the bathroom in the morning, and that held him till they returned in the evening. If they were both going to work late, one of them would dash home during lunchtime to tend to him unless Helen was in cleaning that day.

Pete and Esther offered to pitch in whenever they were needed, but Jack and Ennis didn't want to trouble them to let Ace out, even though they would probably be grateful for the opportunity to get out of the house and feel needed.

They had talked of flying out to see Anna and Jim, and on that occasion, Jack thought they'd leave Ace at his folk's place, and might ask Pete and Esther to tend to Miss Kitty over those few days.

Miss Kitty was happiest when there was a full house. She loved Junior, and slept with her when she was there, and wasn't even fazed by Bobby's rambunctious play habits.

On occasion Miss Kitty had ended up in Jack and Ennis' bed during their lovemaking sessions which caused quit a stir the first time. They'd been going at it hot and heavy when suddenly her presence was noticed as she came stomping past their heads causing them to both break into laughter.

Other times she'd be right there on the pillow above their heads as they were trying to fuck, her eyes fixated on them, her motor running. The look on her face made them quite uncomfortable, as if she knew exactly what was going on and wanted to see if they were doing everything right.

...

It had been a great summer, even with telling Alma and Lureen about their relationship, or maybe because of finally telling them. It had taken a load off their minds to have that out in the open. Jack and Lureen were good friends, and she was friendly with Ennis. Alma was able to remain civil to Ennis, less than civil to Jack, but all in all, it was going all right.

Fall was on the horizon. They still hadn't been out to dinner with John and Denise, and both Jack and Ennis hoped they had forgotten about the invitation, but one evening when the phone rang, they had to face the fact that they were going to dinner with Jack's folks.

"You said we need to prepare ourselves. Prepare ourselves for what exactly?" Ennis asked.

"I don't rightly know, but I know I'm pretty damn nervous about this, and I wish there was some way to get out of it," Jack said as he and Ennis were getting dressed on a warm fall night in late September. "Just the four of us together, I just hope Dad doesn't do or say anything to make us feel uncomfortable."

"You knew it was coming. Your mama invited us back in May, and here it is fall already. I think we got off pretty good waiting till now. We're just gonna have to suck it up and go and hope for the best."

"Yeah, does the same go for when we go to Minnesota to visit Anna and Jim?"

A pained look came over Ennis' face, and Jack regretted having brought up that trip. Ennis didn't need to be reminded, especially tonight. "I'm sorry Ennis," he said, as he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around him. "We'll worry about planning that trip later."

Ennis tightened the embrace, giving Jack a kiss on the cheek as they parted. They finished getting ready to go. Ennis looked Jack up and down in his black slacks and blue shirt with narrow gray stripes. Ennis was in gray slacks and a grey and white striped shirt. Ennis felt like getting another hug before they went downstairs so took Jack into his arms, burying his nose in Jack's neck, sniffing the aftershave he loved, wishing they had time for some lovin' before having to leave, but he sure as hell didn't want to be late and make a bad impression on Jack's folks, so that would have to wait.

"If you're worried about making a bad impression, you'd best do something about that bulge in your pants before we get there," Jack chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"I thought that's what you were for," Ennis growled, giving Jack a look of affection.

They let Ace out for a potty break, then said goodbye to him and Miss Kitty, and were on their way.

...

Ennis pulled the car into the parking lot at The Cheesecake Factory in Sherman Oaks which was about half way for Jack's folks and half way for them. They looked around to see if John or Denise's car was parked anywhere and didn't see either one.

The drive had been pretty quiet, mostly talking about traffic and places they were passing by, staying away from the subject of dinner.

Pulling into the parking space, Ennis didn't want to face the fact they were there. He kept the air conditioner running, and wasn't killing the engine. "We're here," he finally said.

"Yeah, that we are."

When neither said anything else, Jack finally said, "Shit, why'd we agree to come here?"

Ennis seemed to come back to reality from his thoughts and took Jack's hand. "Because they're your folks and we gotta try and have a good relationship with them...and we have no reason to think this isn't gonna go well. Hell, you've been out to their place with Ace a couple times lately, and everything's been fine."

"I know," Jack said, squeezing Ennis' hand. "It's just that, maybe things have gone too well, you know? Them not really saying anything about 'us.' More or less just ignoring it all."

"Well, that could just mean they're that all right with it," Ennis said, trying to sound convincing. Jack gave him a stare.

"The bottom line is; as long as they're trying to be friendly with us and not cause any trouble, why think differently? We'll just go in there and be friendly to them, just act normal, and I'm sure it will be fine. They'll see we're right together...they won't be able to think anything else and they'll be glad for us."

"We should have brought the kids," Jack smiled, and the mood immediately brightened.

As they got out of the car, Ennis said, "You should have waited to show them those pictures of the kids, and Ace and Miss Kitty. We could have brought them with us tonight. That would have made them happy."

Jack put his arm around Ennis' shoulder for a few seconds as they walked toward the restaurant and said with a smile, "Too bad I didn't think of that. You're learning, friend."

As they entered, Ennis saw the display case full of cheesecake and said, "This should make this ordeal worth it to you, bud," and gave Jack a warm smile.

Jack stepped over to gaze at the desserts looking totally lost in thought. Ennis glanced around and said, "I'm going to give our name to the hostess and see if your folks happen to be here already."

Ennis joined Jack at the display. "Your folks aren't here yet." Just as he said those words, they walked in.

When John and Denise saw them they both had big smiles on their faces and Ennis could tell they weren't forcing them at all, they were genuine. He breathed a sigh of relief and knew Jack did too, as they all hugged one another. Denise even gave Ennis a kiss on the cheek as well as Jack.

"Sorry we're late," John said. "The traffic was pretty slow."

"That's okay, we haven't been here long," Jack said.

"It gave Jack time to drool over the cheesecake," smiled Ennis.

That got a laugh out of both John and Denise. "I wonder if our table is ready. That is if you're finished looking at the dessert," John said as he patted Jack on the back.

John asked the hostess if they had a table for them, and she signaled another girl who promptly appeared and told them to follow her, and shortly they were seated in a booth and given menus.

"How are those kids of yours?" John asked.

"The two legged ones or the four?" Jack asked with a twinkle in his eye.

John laughed and said, "Well, both I guess."

Ennis looked on as Jack told John some of what Ace had been up to lately, as well as Miss Kitty. Ennis thought to himself about Miss Kitty coming into the bed, but of course that wasn't a subject for dinner with Jack's folks.

"How are Junior and Bobby?" Denise asked.

With pride in his voice Ennis said, "Junior began preschool the first week of September and is having a ball."

"She'll be old enough to start riding horses soon. You'll have to bring her to see them. In fact, why don't you boys ever come out when you've got the kids? You can all stay the weekend. We'd love to have you," Denise offered.

"Well, Mom, you and Dad haven't been home that much this past summer."

"That's true, one reason we've had to wait so long to get together with you boys for this dinner. I think we're about finished traveling for awhile though, so you plan to come out, alright?"

Ennis and Jack answered in unison that they would. Ennis wondered what the sleeping arrangements would be like if they did.

"The holidays will be coming up before we know it. We want to see a lot of those kids...and it's okay for you guys to come too, of course." John smiled warmly.

"That's very kind of you, Dad," Jack grinned.

They studied menus and decided to start with Fire Roasted Artichokes, which everyone enjoyed very much. Ennis could tell Jack felt better as soon as he'd eaten something as he'd gotten very hungry smelling the food, not to mention when he looked at all the cheesecake when they first came in. The conversation was very pleasant during the appetizer.

"They have a great salad here I just love. John, remember it?"

The two of them ordered what was called French Country Salad which had asparagus, beets and candied pecans. Jack and Ennis went for something simpler, tossed green salads.

Over dinner, John commented, "This Pasta Carbonara is delicious. How's your Shrimp Scampi, Denise?"

"It's just perfect," she answered. "How do you boys like what you have?"

"Ennis is an expert on pasta. How is it, Ennis?" Jack asked.

"They didn't skimp on the shrimp, and the pasta is cooked just right."

"That's angel hair pasta, isn't it?" Denise asked as she glanced at Ennis' plate.

"Yes, it is." Ennis wiped his mouth and said, "How's your salmon, Jack?"

"Real good," Jack said.

"Glad to see you're eating your vegetables too," Denise laughed as she looked at the asparagus and mashed potatoes on Jack's plate.

They were served a basket of various breads and wine. Ennis was surprised how good of a time he was having, and could tell Jack was also enjoying himself. John and Denise couldn't have been nicer. It was a pleasant surprise and a big relief. There were no awkward silences and everyone appeared relaxed.

After they'd finished dinner, their server asked if they'd like dessert, so they asked to see the cheesecake menu and all studied it before choosing what they wanted.

"Maybe we can share a piece and take a piece home," Denise said to John.

"Sounds fine to me."

They decided on Lemon Raspberry and White Chocolate Raspberry to take home.

After saying he was too full and didn't think he could eat any dessert, Jack convinced Ennis to agree on sharing a piece too.

John said, "Be sure and get an extra piece to take home."

"Thanks, Dad. Now the only problem is, what kind, since Ennis is a bit conservative when it comes to cheesecake."

"What do you mean, I'm conservative? Don't you remember the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake I baked you that time?" he asked Jack.

"They've got that kind here," Jack hinted.

"Maybe we'd best look further before deciding," Ennis said as he took his glasses out of his pocket so he could see the menu. "They do have regular Cheesecake you know, or Cherry."

"Those are so plain; don't you want to try something a bit more adventurous?"

"Jack, some of these names sound like they'd put twenty pounds on us especially after the meal we just had. Or at least rot our teeth."

John and Denise wore amused smiles while watching Jack and Ennis go round and round about the cheesecakes. Finally the boys compromised and decided on "Caramel Pecan Turtle" for eating there, and would take home "Dutch Apple Caramel."

"Good, glad that's settled," remarked John, who got the attention of their server so they could order.

As they waited for their dessert and coffee, Denise reached for Jack's hand. She touched his ring finger and said, "I've noticed you two are wearing rings. Is there a story behind them?"

Jack glanced at Ennis before answering. He slowly said, "Yeah, Mom. We gave these to each other last winter. They're kinda like wedding rings."

Denise smiled and asked, "Can I see closer?"

Jack removed his ring and placed it in her hand. She looked at it closely. "It's exquisite. I don't know when I've seen a lovelier ring. Oh, it even has an inscription." She carefully read it. It looked like she nearly teared up as she said, "This is just beautiful."

She showed John the ring and he also looked at it closely and said, "You know, I noticed the rings quite some time ago but didn't want to ask about them then."

"I saw them too, but we were kind of waiting for you to mention it," Denise said.

Jack seemed at a loss for words, but tried to explain. "Sorry. We weren't sure what your reaction would be, so..."

Ennis hated to see Jack feeling bad or uncomfortable so stepped out of his comfort zone and tried to help out by saying, "We got them for each other last Christmas. We weren't sure exactly what we wanted, but when we saw these, we knew they were it. We're glad you like them."

"Well, they're sure beautiful," Denise said.

"Yes, they're fine rings," John agreed.

About that time the server arrived with the cheesecake and coffee.

The mood lightened and they all enjoyed eating their dessert, with Jack and Ennis entertaining John and Denise with their antics.

They all walked out together carrying their bags with tomorrow's dessert, and said, "Goodnight, drive safely," and all gave one another hugs before setting out for home.

...

That night after the house was quiet and locked up, and Jack and Ennis were in their bedroom, Ennis repeated what they'd said on the ride home. "That went really well tonight. Surprisingly well in fact." He smiled at Jack.

"Yeah, I can't quite believe how it turned out."

"Your folks are terrific, Jack."

"Yeah, I guess they are," Jack said, but looked like he was having a hard time believing it was really true.

They got into bed and Ennis held Jack close. Jack snuggled into Ennis' chest. "You're just surprised because your daddy hadn't been able to show you before how much he loves you, but he does, that's obvious."

"I think maybe it's you he loves...always did want a doctor in the family."

Ennis chuckled, and hoped Jack was just joking. "Jack, I can see it when both your mama and daddy look at you."

"It took a lotta years for Dad and me, Ennis."

"Better late than never."

"Speaking of late...it's not too late for a night cap, is it?"

"Twist, you have a one track mind."

"Are you complaining?"

"Not on your life."

Jack kept a serious voice and said, "You know, we forgot to ask Dad about the springs on the bed in the cabin...you know, ask him if there was any chance on getting a new bed up there." By the time he finished, Jack was nearly cracking up.

All Ennis could get out was, "Jack..." before he was laughing too.

Ennis rolled on top of Jack, mouths coming together, clothes coming off, hands roaming, as they made love. Ace came into the room and lay by the bed, his tail thumping on the floor as his masters were oblivious to his presence. Now if only Miss Kitty stayed off the bed...

_To Be Continued..._


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

It seemed like after Halloween passed, the rest of the holidays crept up and sped by. It was the dead of winter, with no more holidays for awhile.

Holidays...Ennis thought back to Halloween. It was a treat taking Junior and Bobby out in their costumes. Alma and Lureen had acted like it would be a chore. Alma even seemed shy and apprehensive when she asked Ennis if he'd mind doing it. To he and Jack, that was the fun of having kids, to participate in these holiday rituals. They'd all had a blast!

First they had gone to Jack's uncle and aunt's home, receiving a warm reception, even from Betty, who had mellowed, especially in the presence of the children. One thing about Betty, she couldn't be all bad the way she had accepted he and Jack's relationship like it was just an everyday occurrence. She never made them feel like they didn't fit in. And of course, Harold...There was no one quite like that man. Ennis had grown as close to him as Jack was. You couldn't not love him. After that they had gone to Jack's folks who went all out to decorate and make a festive occasion for the kids.

Junior wanted to dress as, what else, a cat, and took it upon herself to decide that Bobby should be a dog. Alma had tried to change Junior's mind, wanting to see her as a princess, but Junior, with her stubborn ways, wouldn't hear of being anything but a cat, so Alma gave in.

Alma hadn't been happy when she'd heard about Ace and Miss Kitty residing at Ennis and Jack's. She hadn't said anything until she and Ennis had gotten together for lunch after registering Junior for preschool. She made more of a fuss over that than anything else concerning the living situation at North Barrington Avenue. He was able to convince her that pets and kids were a natural fit. She finally actually laughed a little and said, "Maybe it is a good idea. At least I don't have to have any at my house."

Ennis had been relieved that Alma only seemed concerned about the pets. He figured it could be because she knew if she said anything about he and Jack, the subject of her and Monroe would come up and she probably didn't want to have to defend herself. Ennis always wondered just how long that had really been going on, but he didn't much care so had never brought it up.

Since their breakup, the one constant had been their love for Junior and their mutual concern for her welfare. This took the worry out of either of them using poor judgment where she was concerned. Alma knew Jack was a good man even if she tried to deny it. Monroe was a good man too, Ennis could see that. Ennis knew he and Alma would never have a friendship like Jack had with Lureen, but to be able to discuss issues affecting Junior without tearing into each other would do.

Ennis reached for the framed Halloween photo on his desk. Junior was adorable with her long painted on whiskers that Ennis had worked so hard getting just right. Her headband had pointed cat ears, and she wore a slim fitting black body suit with a long tail attached. Her little black shoes had painted on "claws." To finish off her look she wore black gloves with embroidered claws. Bobby had a headpiece with floppy doggie ears and a patchwork costume complete with tail. Around his neck he wore a bandanna similar to the ones they sometimes put on Ace's neck when he was all clean and fresh smelling after a trip to the groomer. Ennis had painted smaller whiskers on Bobby, the boy telling him to make him look scary.

Both kids were thrilled and had the time of their lives. Jack must have taken at least fifty pictures that night. They came home with way too much candy. Hard to believe they got so much from only two stops.

Ennis' thoughts were interrupted as Jack came in to sit at his desk that was across the room. "Whatcha thinking about, Ennis?" After a short pause, "As if I didn't know."

Ennis smiled and said, "Not what you think. I was actually remembering Halloween...how much fun it was."

"Yeah, it was great, wasn't it? Truth be told, I think I like Halloween better than Christmas."

"Yeah, Christmas can be pretty hectic, 'specially with kids. And having to split up the holiday between their mama's and us..." Ennis paused, "Well, nothin' can be done about that."

"I was thinking you probably had this weekend on your mind...you know, our little outing..." Jack had sort of a pained look on his face.

Ennis snorted out a laugh. "Oh, that? In a way, I'm lookin' forward to it."

"Yeah...if it goes well, maybe we can feel comfortable staying some weekends at the folk's place when we've got the kids." Jack looked deep in thought and went on, "No reason it shouldn't go well, I mean, what are they gonna do, make one of us sleep up in the loft and the other sleep downstairs?"

"Since it's winter with snow on the ground, there's no way one of us could pitch a tent outside," Ennis chuckled.

"Maybe we could build an igloo. That would be one way to insure some privacy," Jack laughed.

"You'd freeze your ass off, and I'm a bit partial to it, so I'd say we best sleep in the cabin, whatever sleeping arrangements come about."

They both laughed and began to concentrate on the work on their desks that had to be done before the weekend.

...

The Saturday of January 17, 2009 found Jack, Ennis, the kids, and Ace driving out to pick up John and Denise to go to Big Bear to play in the snow and stay the night in the cabin. The forecast sounded perfect, although cool, with the high not getting out of the 40's in the mountains most days in January. It would be freezing at night. Everyone had warm winter jackets, scarves, boots, gloves and mittens to bundle up in.

The sun was shining brightly and the roads were clear as they drove toward their destination. "The snow covered mountains in the distance look gorgeous," Denise marveled. "Are you two little ones excited?" she asked.

"YES!" they shouted.

"I want to see the squirrels." Junior said.

"I'm not sure if the squirrels will be out this time of year. It might be too cold," John said.

"Bobby's never seen snow, let alone played in it, and Junior's only been in it once," Ennis said.

"I walked in the snow in Colorado with my mommy," Junior said. "It came over my boot and went inside. It was cold."

"I'll bet it was," Ennis said. "We've got better boots for you this time, taller, so the snow won't get in."

"The caretaker will have shoveled paths for us, and cleared a place to park," John said.

As they got closer to Big Bear, snow drifts lined the side of the road. The kids started to talk a mile a minute, and Ace sensed the excitement and his ears perked up. John and Denise were in high spirits and it was rubbing off on Jack and Ennis.

"How many pictures you think you'll take?" Ennis asked Jack.

"Probably hundreds by the time the weekend's over," Jack smiled.

After parking, Ace barked and trotted around as he was let out of the Land Rover. Jack and Ennis had no way of knowing if he had seen snow before. In any case, he wasn't at all afraid of it.

"Kids, stay on the path for now. We'll go inside and unpack our groceries and things before we come back out to play in the snow," Denise said.

Besides shoveling, the caretaker had made sure the cabin was warm and inviting, and had also installed a child guard across the top of the loft stairs as John had requested. There was still time before lunch to go out to play in the snow, so that was the plan.

Junior stood looking out the window jumping up and down saying, "When can we go out, when can we go out?"

"Calm down, darlin'," Ennis told her. "We'll go out in a minute. Here, let's get all your winter things on so you don't end up catching a chill."

Bobby was repeating, "Snow! Snow!" and stomping around as if he was performing a snow dance rather than a rain dance.

John wore a huge smile as he looked at his family getting ready to brave the cold outside. Denise put her arm around his waist, also with a smile across her face. Ennis overheard her say, "It's great being grandparents, isn't it? Now we even have a granddaughter to go with our grandson."

Outside, John wanted to show the kids how to make a snowman, but first Jack seemed to have other plans, and that was a snowball fight.

"Snowballs are a little dangerous, don't you think?" his mom asked.

"Not for a Two-and-a-half and Four-and-a-half year old," Jack laughed.

"You're not gonna have a snowball fight too, Jack?" John asked.

"Well, if you're challenging me to one, sure!" Jack said, as he grabbed up some snow and quickly formed a snowball, throwing it at his dad and hitting him on the chest.

"This means war," John exclaimed, shaking his fist and laughing.

He and Jack threw numerous snowballs at each other while Denise and Ennis helped Bobby and Junior with their own. Ace danced and barked at the activity. John and Jack looked exhausted by the time they finished their battle. Their cheeks were red from the cold and exertion.

"The altitude up here makes me feel my age," John said, as he sucked in deep breaths of air.

"You're not old, Dad," Jack said as he patted him on the back. "You're just feeling it since I won the snowball fight," he laughed.

"Is that so?" John chuckled as he reached down and picked up more snow and grabbed the neck of Jack's jacket getting as much snow down as he could before Jack was able to break away, laughing all the while.

After everyone was calmed down from their snowball fights, the men proceeded to build the biggest and best snowman Denise had ever seen, with Junior and Bobby cheering them on, and Ace barking wildly. Denise found some items from inside the cabin to use for a face, and she and John lifted the children up to place them onto the snowman's face as Jack clicked more pictures.

"Grannnpa, I put eyes on!" Bobby shouted.

"Grandma, I gave him a nose." Junior cried out.

It made Ennis feel warm inside knowing that Junior now had grandparents even though both sets of her own had passed on long before she was born. He knew he had a silly grin on his face, but couldn't help it.

The kids weren't tired yet and insisted on building their own snowman, so everyone stood back and let them have at it. Junior did most of the work with Bobby trying to direct her. They did a pretty good job and had a blast.

"Look at the time, we'd better get lunch," Denise said when she realized how late it was. "You two children must be starving."

"Yeah, Ennis and I are pretty hungry," Jack said, trying to keep a straight face. Everyone laughed.

"Okay, we'll save the sledding till tomorrow morning," Jack said. "Let's go get some lunch."

They left their beautiful snowmen, and all went inside to dry off, warm up, have lunch and a rest.

...

After napping, they planned to have dinner out. "I've heard the Log Cabin restaurant is good, and kids are welcome," John suggested.

"Sounds good," Jack said.

Ennis gave Junior a little pep talk before they left. "Now darlin', we're going to be eating in a restaurant. I want you to keep your voice down when you talk, and I need you to keep an eye on Bobby and help him to be quiet and to eat without playing with his food. Do you think you can help me out with that?"

"Yes, Daddy," she said very seriously.

"Good girl," Ennis said, hoping it went well.

"You worry too much, friend," Jack said as he came up from behind. "They'll be fine."

The dinner did go very well, with everyone enjoying themselves and having fun. Ennis noticed how comfortable Jack was with his dad now days, and was happy that the two of them had found a way to make peace after all those years when Jack thought that he hated his dad, and thought his dad hated him.

The food was good, and the kids didn't cause any scenes while they ate, even though Ennis cringed inwardly when Junior ordered spaghetti and meatballs. He knew that was rather a messy dish for a child, but she was becoming pretty good with a knife and fork, although he had to help her a little. Bobby had chicken strips for his dinner. When the waiter set Denise's Fettuccini Alfredo with fresh vegetables and herb garlic sauce in front of her, Ennis was a little disappointed that he hadn't ordered pasta as he usually did, but soon found that his grilled marinated chicken with rice and vegetables was excellent. John ordered Pork Ribs, corn on the cob and ranch beans, and Ennis couldn't help but think that was where Jack picked up his eating habits. Jack had Chicken Fried Steak, baked potato, and vegetables. They decided not to have dessert, but planned to have hot chocolate after they got back to the cabin.

Ace held down the fort while they were gone. Upon returning, Ennis asked Jack, "Which one of us wants to take Ace for his nightly potty walk?"

"God, it's gonna be cold, it must not be much over thirty-two degrees right now," Jack said.

"I'll do it then," Ennis said, willing to brave the cold to save Jack from freezing to death. Jack though, seemed to have other ideas and said, "I'll go with you...it'll be faster with two," and he smiled a mischievous smile that Ennis hoped only he knew the true meaning of. He felt his face flush.

Ennis was afraid that John may have gotten the drift too because he asked, "Walking the dog is faster with two?"

It seemed like maybe Denise was trying to change the subject as she said, "We'll have the hot chocolate ready when you get back. First we'll get Bobby and Junior changed into their pajamas. Take your time."

Jack attached Ace's bright red leash to his red collar and Ennis followed them out the door. Once outside Ennis asked, "What was all that about, Jack?"

"What?" Jack said, with the most innocent look on his face Ennis had ever seen.

As they walked, not speaking, they came upon some trees and started walking amongst them, their boots crunching through the snow.

As he moved close to Ennis, Jack said, "I figure the only way I'm gonna get a kiss, let alone anything else, is to sneak off in the dark with you, far away from the others."

He got right up to Ennis, their bodies tight against each other and pushed him against a pine tree as he kissed him roughly and with lots of tongue.

"What's gotten into you, boy, don't you know we're standing in snow and it's freezing out here?" Ennis said breathlessly, after they broke the kiss.

"I sure do, I'm trying to get warmed up." Ace stood by their feet and looked up at them, wondering where his walk was.

They stood that way several minutes kissing deeply, pressing against each other. Through their heavy clothing it was hard to tell, but they both knew the other was as hard as they were.

"Shit, wearing all this heavy gear isn't too conducive to getting to do much else than kissin', is it?" Jack got out between deep long kisses.

"Jack, what are you thinking? Heavy clothes or not, we're not doing...that...out here!"

"How bout back in the cabin after we go to bed?"

"Shit, Jack, your folks and the kids are all in the cabin! We can't do none of that. Besides, don't you remember your mom and dad said they're taking the loft with Bobby and Junior, and we're getting the room downstairs?"

"Yeah, so it'll be private, they'll all be clear upstairs."

"Clear upstairs isn't very far in a small cabin with a loft with no doors. Besides, unless there's a new bed in that downstairs room, those springs are a dead give away."

"You mean you'd do it with me if the springs were quiet?"

"I didn't say that, Jack..."

Jack was chuckling now, his eyes twinkling like the stars in the sky. It was hard for Ennis to keep his good sense looking into those lustful blue eyes of Jack Twist, but he finally whispered, "We best give Ace his walk so we can get back inside before your folks wonder what's keeping us. The hot chocolate might get cold."

"Alright, alright," Jack said, stepping back. As they walked, Jack mumbled, "The chocolate might get cold but I'm not gonna get cold cause I'm burning up and I need some relief...didn't get anything last night cause the kids were there..."

"Anyone ever tell you, you complain a lot, Jack? Well, you do, that's a fact..." Ennis muttered in a playful tone.

...

Inside the cabin, Jack, Ennis and Ace found everyone in their pajamas and robes, sitting in front of the fireplace sipping hot chocolate with marshmallows. Ace plopped down in front of the fireplace looking content as could be.

"Bout time you came to the party," John said.

Bobby, imitating his grandpa shouted, "Bout time!" And Junior got in on it too and said, "We're having a party and you're late."

"Your hot chocolate is on the stove. You might need to heat it up a little; I think it's probably lukewarm now," Denise told them.

Ennis tried not to blush and quickly headed to the kitchen. After he warmed the chocolate he poured himself and Jack a cup, added marshmallows, and joined everyone by the fireplace.

"Thanks," Jack said as he took his cup from Ennis. Their fingers touched and sparks flew between them causing Ennis' face to feel warm again.

They drank their hot chocolate and enjoyed some small talk until everyone was yawning and it was clear that the kids needed to go to bed. Jack and Ennis took them to the bathroom to see to it that they brushed their teeth before taking them up to the loft to tuck them in.

John and Denise said goodnight after the kids were tucked in. "You'll make sure the cabin is locked up, Jack?" John said as he stood to go.

"Sure, Dad, goodnight."

When everyone was out of sight, Jack gave Ennis a look that spoke volumes. "Jack...I already told you," Ennis warned. "Don't get your hopes up, you hear?"

While Ennis was in the bathroom getting ready for bed, Jack made sure the cabin was locked up, and saw to it that the fire was banked, and took his and Ennis' cups to the kitchen before he went to the bathroom to get ready for bed after Ennis was finished.

In the bedroom, Ennis had gotten into the bed as quietly as he could. Jack came in and stood looking at him, stalling before getting in. "What are you gonna do, Jack, stand there all night? You're gonna freeze if you don't get in here."

"I was thinkin'...since the bed's so noisy, how bout we get down on the floor for awhile?"

"Jack, are you serious? I'm not getting on the floor."

"Why not?" Jack said in a quiet voice, as he moved closer to Ennis.

"Cause the floor is hard and cold, and because we're not in this cabin by ourselves. I'd feel...inhibited."

"No one would know. We'd be quiet."

"When have you ever been able to be quiet when we're...doing what we do?"

"Jeez, Ennis, you can say the words, no one's standing outside the door trying to hear what we're talking about..."

"Just give it a rest, huh? I'm not getting into that with you tonight. That's final. Now get in here and warm up. We can snuggle, you like that. That'll have to do for tonight."

"Shit, Ennis. I don't see why we can't...I mean, they probably think we are anyway."

"Jesus, Jack," Ennis said as he felt his face flush.

Jack shut up, turned off the light, and got into the bed, forgetting to be easy getting in, making the bed springs squeak loudly.

"Do you think you can be any louder? That's probably why they gave us this room, so we couldn't do anything."

"Sorry."

They found comfortable positions and lay in the darkness. Ennis could tell that Jack was wide awake by the way he sighed now and then. After a few minutes Jack whispered, "Ennis, I know I can be quiet. I promise I can, if we could just get down on the floor, we could have a quickie."

"When have we ever had just a quickie?"

"Well, there's a first time for everything. Come on, what do you say?"

"What if someone comes down to use the bathroom? They'd hear us for sure."

Jack got up, rested on his elbow, and said, "No one will be coming down this soon after going to bed. If we're going to do this, we'd better get to it so we're sure no one comes down till we're done."

Ennis lay there thinking, wanting to do what Jack was suggesting, but was scared. Finally desire won out and he started to get up very slowly, barely making the springs move at all. When he was out he whispered, "You come outta there now...but do it quietly."

Jack followed Ennis' example and the springs made next to no sound as he got up. They threw the pillows down and dragged the bedspread to the floor and lay down together. "Shouldn't we take our clothes off?" asked Jack.

"No!"

"No, why not? How can we fuck in our clothes?"

"We'd best leave most of 'em on, just in case."

"Just in case what?"

Impatiently Ennis said, "In case someone comes down and we have to get up and look normal fast!"

Jack smiled and said, "Okay, then."

Ennis felt Jack reach into the opening of his pajamas and grab his hard cock. He fiddled around getting it freed of the cloth. When that was done he wasted no time going to work on it. Ennis felt like he would go crazy, so much so, that he had to be reminded to be quiet by Jack. He felt Jack's mouth and tongue lick, swirl suck and basically torment his cock, bringing him to the point of no return in no time flat. A stifled groan escaped Ennis' lips as Jack took all Ennis gave him, drinking it down to the last drop. When Ennis was licked dry, Jack kissed a trail up his stomach, across his chest, up to his neck, and finally to his mouth, kissing him deep.

"Aren't you glad we're doin' this?" Jack asked.

Even though it was nearly pitch dark, Ennis could tell he was smiling. He heard it in Jack's voice, and yeah, he was glad.

Ennis quickly rose up and turned to roll on top of Jack, kissing his lips, trying to keep control of the situation but it was damn hard. The fact that Jack's folks were nearby seemed to unleash a passion that shocked him, but he went with it, all the while trying to remain as quiet as possible. He scooted down and, instead of leaving Jack's pajamas on and trying to snake his cock out as Jack had done to him, he yanked his pajamas and shorts down to his knees. His mouth nearly attacked Jack's cock as he let groans escape his throat. He tried to rein it in and stay quiet. He teased and played with Jack's hard cock with his tongue and lips and fondled his balls with his fingers. Jack gripped the bedspread and muffled sounds escaped. His head rolled side to side and Ennis knew that his orgasm was building. In short order Jack was shooting his load down Ennis' throat and he took it all, making sure to lick every drop so as not to have any evidence left behind of what had gone on in the room that night.

Ennis felt hard again already and hoped Jack wouldn't notice because he'd talk him into going for round two and he'd come to his senses enough to know they needed to call a halt to this and be glad they got what they did, get back into the bed and go to sleep. After some lazy kisses and some barely audible pillow talk on their makeshift bed on the floor, they gathered their pillows and the bedspread, and carefully crawled into the bed, snuggling up close, both satisfied and weary, ready for a good night's sleep.

...

Ennis was up early to let Ace out the next morning. Ace looked refreshed by the cold mountain air and had a bit of a run in the snow. Ennis was nearly frozen by the time he got back inside and found Jack starting the fireplace. Since there was only one bathroom they decided they'd better use it while they could so they wouldn't slow things down when the others got up. They had things to do before heading back home. They were looking forward to getting the kids on the sled.

"We could save time by using the bathroom together," Jack said.

"Keep your voice down," Ennis cautioned.

"I was only kidding, Ennis," Jack said, trying not to smile. Ennis shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

By the time Ennis reappeared, Denise was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. "I'll go see if she needs some help while you use the bathroom," Ennis suggested. By the time breakfast, which consisted of pancakes, bacon, juice and coffee was ready, everyone was up and had been in the bathroom.

"Too bad we don't have more than one bathroom in this cabin. If we're all going to be coming here at one time, we could use another, especially when the kids are older," John said.

Ennis felt relieved to see that John and Denise were acting normal, so evidently no one was any the wiser for what he and Jack had gotten up to the night before. Then Jack just had to open that mouth of his.

"That would be a lot more convenient to have a second one, Dad. And, what do you think about a new bed in the downstairs bedroom?"

"Something wrong with it?"

Jack seemed to think better of what he was saying, his face took on a half-sick look, but it was a little late by then so he sort of had to go on. He didn't look in Ennis' direction, and Ennis was looking everywhere except at Jack.

"Well, the springs make a lot of noise is all. It's not that big a deal though, forget it, we don't need a new bed."

"If it bothers you, sure we can get a new bed. It's rather old anyway, it's no wonder the springs are bad. It's seen a lot of use."

Ennis was getting more and more uncomfortable by the second, and felt his face flushing. He silently prayed the conversation would end, and soon. Denise seemed to pick up on his discomfort so called into the living room to Bobby and Junior, "Let's all have breakfast!"

The conversation turned to other topics while they ate, to Ennis' relief. He just didn't know what had gotten into Jack to mention the noisy springs to his dad like he had. He wasn't going to hold it against him but he'd get back at him, that's for sure.

As soon as they could, everyone filed outdoors to play on the sled. Jack pulled Junior and Bobby around as Ennis took pictures. The snow was perfect for sledding. The kids were a little young to try going down any hills, but they laughed, screamed and hollered while being pulled around the yard. Ace was excited and kicking up snow as he trotted beside the sled. When Jack got tired, John took over, then Ennis. Denise watched from the porch. It was another beautiful, sunny day. Their snowmen still stood, watching over the merriment. The morning went fast, and soon it was time for lunch before packing up to leave.

No one really wanted to leave, but the time had come, so off they went back to the city. It would seem like a dream that they'd been in the snow by the time they got back home. It was as if they'd been in another world. Junior and Bobby chattered nearly non-stop about the snow. They had been clearly impressed by their weekend.

After dropping John and Denise off and saying their good-byes, Jack and Ennis stopped at the grocery store to get what they needed for the week. Junior and Bobby had accompanied them a time or two when they shopped on a Sunday afternoon so they were pros and tried to help. Ace waited patiently in the Land Rover. They'd told Lureen and Alma that the kids would probably be a little late at getting back so they didn't have to rush, and went back home to put the groceries away and let the kids play with Miss Kitty before having to return them to their other homes and other parents.

...

That night after dinner was finished and dishes were in the dish washer, Saturday's mail gone through, a few phone calls made, and things were quiet, Jack's blunder concerning the bed came up.

Ennis walked up behind Jack in the kitchen, put his arms around him, and in a husky voice whispered, "Just what the hell were you thinkin' this morning bringing up the squeaky springs to your daddy? In front of your mama no less."

"Ennis, I don't know what the hell I was thinkin'. I don't think I _was _thinking. I couldn't have been. Soon as I said it I realized I shouldn't have. Shit, I'm sorry. I hope you weren't too embarrassed."

"Oh, I was embarrassed alright...and it's all cause of you," he whispered in a low voice. "You were a bad boy, Jack Twist, and you must pay for it."

Jack smiled and chuckled, getting the drift of where this was headed. "Ennis, I'm glad you're not mad."

"No, I'm not mad...I know mistakes happen. But that doesn't mean you don't need to be punished," Ennis, still whispering, said into Jack's ear.

"You're right, Ennis, I deserve a spanking. I was soooo bad," Jack chuckled.

They were both unable to control their laughter by then, and were becoming quite aroused, so quickly made sure the house was locked up, and to their bedroom they went, not even taking the time to let Ace out for one last potty break. They could do that afterward. Both were anxious to get into a bed that didn't squeak.

_To Be Continued..._


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

2009 was going fast. It was already March and plans had yet to be made to visit Jim and Anna. Jack had brought it up a couple times since the New Year began, but it seemed Ennis was never in the mood to talk about it. It was Sunday, and Jack was busy setting the clocks ahead with thoughts of Anna on his mind. Ennis was fixing dinner so Jack wondered if this might be a good time to bring it up again. Ennis was always in a good mood while he cooked.

"Hey, Ennis, you making some of those noodles with the cream cheese and stuff in it?" Jack asked as he walked over to the center island where Ennis was working.

"You must have noticed the noodles and stuff I bought this afternoon," Ennis said with a wide grin.

"Yeah, I saw some of what was in your cart, but wasn't sure what you planned to make tonight. I see you've got the tomato sauce sitting out and I see the pot of water boiling so wondered if that's what we were having."

Ennis must have been able to tell Jack had something on his mind other than food, and asked, "Something you wanna talk about?"

Jack was apprehensive to bring the subject up so instead asked, "Anything I can do to help in here?"

Ennis looked at him suspiciously and said, "It's my night to cook, you don't have to help, not unless you really want to."

"Okay, I'll get back to setting the clocks."

"It's that time already. Time flies when you're having fun, huh?"

"Yeah, sure does." Jack took a few steps to leave the kitchen but then stopped and said, "You know, with time getting away from us the way it does, we really should sit down and plan that trip to Minnesota."

A look of dread showed on Ennis' face as he said, "Yeah, Jack, I know. Maybe we can find some time this evening to sit down with our appointment books and plan a weekend when we can go."

"Yeah, I think we should. I'm free tonight after dinner," Jack smiled.

...

It hadn't been easy, but a weekend was set aside to travel to Minnesota in late March. Jack's parents were available to keep Ace at their house, and between Pete and Esther, and Helen, Miss Kitty would be well pampered, so things were coming together for the trip.

If Anna had been surprised when Ennis told her it would be Jack he was bringing to visit, not Junior, she didn't show it according to Ennis. She was probably just delighted Ennis was finally coming after only having been there once in the nearly two and a half years she had been gone. She and Jim had been back to California for a couple of quick trips for Jim's work, so it wasn't as if they hadn't seen one another, but she had invited Ennis numerous times so was excited he would finally be showing up.

Jack had noticed Ennis was looking distracted and troubled a lot of the time, and knew it was because he was worried. He'd even been taking antacids and having trouble sleeping. Jack would be so glad when this ordeal was over. However it turned out, at least it would be behind them. He felt in his heart that things would go well. He couldn't see how Anna would turn her back on her brother. No way, there was just no way that would happen. Even Denise and John said they felt she would be accepting. Jack appreciated them giving him and Ennis their support. At least they had his family on their side. He really wanted Anna and Jim too, for Ennis' sake.

A bright spot had been when Ennis told Connie he needed a Friday and Monday off to go on the trip. While they rearranged the schedule, Ennis worked up the nerve to tell her about him and Jack. Jack was extremely happy the day Ennis had phoned and told him Connie knew and was happy for them both.

"You finally told her?" Jack had asked, unable to hide how excited he was.

"Yes, Jack, calm down, I told her. She hardly batted an eye. Probably knew all along, but if she did, she didn't let on."

"You don't think she was surprised?"

"I'm not really saying that...just that either she wasn't, or it was so not a big deal, she just acted like I'd told her any other normal piece of news."

"That's great. What exactly did she say?"

Ennis paused as if he was thinking of the exact words, and then went on, "She said, 'No regrets, Dr. Del Mar. Live your life and have no regrets.'"

"She's a smart lady."

"Yeah, she is that."

"So, how bout the other girls, you gonna tell them too?"

"Well, uh, I sorta asked Connie to tell them."

"Okay, that works. Did she?"

"Jack, can we maybe change the subject now?"

"What's wrong? What did they say?"

"Nothing...they didn't mention anything to me."

"But she told them?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Ennis, you're not making a whole lotta sense."

"Okay, if you must know, I happened to overhear the girls talking while they were filing charts." Ennis paused and lowered his voice. "Mary was saying something about us, I didn't catch it all, but I heard our names." There was a long pause and Jack wondered if he was going to go on. Finally he cleared his throat and said, "Wendy said something like 'that rocks.'"

"Is that it?" Jack asked, chuckling a little.

"No...then Cassie laughed and mentioned how, uh, attractive she thinks you are, and then Wendy said 'Dr. Del Mar isn't so bad himself,' and...what a smokin' hot couple we make."

"Well, we are a smokin' hot couple," Jack said and then burst out laughing.

"Jack, control yourself. Jesus, this is embarrassing."

"No, it's not; you said they didn't say anything to you directly. I'm sure they won't."

"But I know what they're thinking, and that's embarrassing."

"Well, that's what you get for eavesdropping and being so hot," Jack snorted.

Ennis wasn't able to hold back, and they both had a good laugh before hanging up, but not before Jack said he'd take Ennis out to dinner to celebrate. They had continued the celebration in their bed well into the night.

...

The plane touched down at Rochester International Airport on a cold Friday afternoon. At least it wasn't raining, or even worse, snowing. The sun was shining so that helped Ennis' mood. He wished he had a better feeling about this trip. So many things were nagging at him. He and Jack had encountered very few snags in this new life of theirs up till now. Why couldn't he get the thought out of his mind that things weren't going to go smoothly here with his sister and brother-in-law?

"I'll get the rental car if you'll wait here for the bags," Jack said, jarring Ennis out of his thoughts.

"Okay, I'll wait here for the bags."

"You okay, Ennis?"

"Fine."

With a smile, and, "Hang in there," Jack set off to pick up their car at Dollar Rental Car.

Ennis decided to call Anna to let her know they'd made it safely. After just one ring Anna picked up.

"Ennis! Hi, where are you?"

"At the airport. We just got in. We're renting the car, so you'll see us soon."

"Can't wait to see you. I've missed you so much."

"Me too, Sis. We'll be there soon, if we don't get lost."

"Well, if you came more often you'd know the way for sure."

"Maybe I can start doing something about that."

"I hope so. Now get in that car and get over here pronto!"

With each of them saying goodbye with a laugh, they hung up. Ennis said a silent prayer that things would go well. The fact that Anna and Jim already liked Jack would be in their favor. He kept giving himself silent pep talks as he waited for Jack.

The rental car was a bright silver metallic Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. Ennis took the wheel and tried to recall if anything looked familiar as he drove them toward Anna and Jim's. The closer he got, the more things were starting to look familiar, but it had been a year and a half since he'd been there and a few things were new. He had the directions written down though, and Jack kept him informed along the route. It took just under a half hour to arrive at Autumn Lake Court where Anna and Jim now resided in their four bedroom home.

"This is the street. Close as I remember it's almost the last house down on the left," Ennis said, closely scanning the street.

"Let me see if I can catch some of the house numbers," Jack said. He recited the numbers as they passed. Both of them focused in on the correct house at about the same time.

"We're here," Ennis said in a mix of enthusiasm and dread.

As Ennis pulled into the wide driveway, Anna came out of the house with a huge smile on her face, dashed to the car, and headed for the driver's side. Ennis parked and killed the engine as quickly as he could and she pulled the door open trying to hug him before he even had his seat belt off.

Jack smiled widely as he watched the reunion. Ennis was able to get himself out of his seat belt and they had a proper hug after he was outside the car.

Anna was so excited she seemed to nearly forget Jack, but finally looked in his direction and said, "Jack, so great to see you! Come on, get out and give me a hug."

Jack joined Ennis and Anna in the driveway and gave Anna a big hug, and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for inviting me," he said.

"I'm so glad you could come, and that you finally got Ennis to get off his fanny and make this trip," she said as she hugged and kissed Jack.

They all laughed as Anna took Ennis' arm and they slowly walked into the house. "Come in and have something to drink and take a little rest. You can get the bags in awhile," Anna suggested.

"What time does Jim get home from work?" Ennis wondered, trying to plan when the time would be right to speak with Anna. He wanted to do it as soon as he could on this first day. His nerves wouldn't hold up if he waited.

"Are you tired of me already?" Anna joked. "He'll be home around dinner time."

"I hope you didn't go to a lot of trouble to cook, Sis. We could have gone out."

"We'll have time to go out on another night. I don't mind cooking for my baby brother and his friend."

Jack glanced around the room as he stepped over to the mantel where many family photos were displayed, including a number of Ennis and Keith, and lots of Junior. "Your home is beautiful."

"Thanks, Jack. Have you been to Minnesota before?"

"Once, but it was quite a few years ago," Jack answered. He went on to say, "Must have been quite a change for you coming from L.A. It's kinda cold out today even with the sun."

"I do kinda miss the weather out in Los Angeles, but I'm getting more and more used to this. Change is good sometimes," she smiled.

Anna brought Jack and Ennis a beer, and had some tea herself, as they continued to talk and get caught up. After they finished their drinks, Ennis said they'd better get the bags, so he and Jack stepped outside to do just that.

As they got the bags out of the back of the jeep, Jack said, "It's going real good so far."

"Of course it is, she doesn't know anything yet!" Ennis snapped. "I'm sorry, my nerves are shot."

"It's okay, friend, I understand." Jack reached for Ennis' arm but he pulled away, giving Jack a cold stare.

When they got inside with the bags, Anna said, "Follow me, I'll show you where to put those."

On the second floor they stopped at the first room that she called the blue guest room. "You can take this one, Ennis. You'll have a view of the backyard. Jack, come with me, I'll show you your room."

As they walked down the hall, Ennis following, Anna said, "I'm sorry you'll have to share a bathroom. Hope that's okay." After a moment of silence she quickly said, "What am I talking about, after the two of you lived on a boat all those months, you're used to sharing." Jack shot Ennis a look and he looked back with a hard stare making sure Jack didn't say anything.

"I hope you'll both be comfortable," Anna said.

"Sure thing, Sis, everything's fine."

Jack agreed, "Real nice rooms, Anna. You've got a really nice place here."

"I want both of you to make yourselves at home," she instructed.

Again, Jack and Ennis glanced at each other. Ennis knew that Jack was thinking the same thing he was.

Ennis and Jack had planned beforehand that Jack would leave the house and give Ennis time to drop the bomb on Anna. He wasn't to return until Ennis called him on his cell. When they got downstairs Jack said, "I think I'll drive around a little, see what the area is like. I might be able to take some pictures."

Ennis tried to joke, "Just don't get yourself lost."

Anna hit Ennis on the arm and said, "Be nice."

"See you later then," Jack smiled, as Ennis threw him the keys.

When Jack had gone Anna said, "That was nice of him to give us time alone. I always did like Jack. He's real sweet. Good looking too. Those eyes and eyelashes..."

Ennis felt a blush start up his neck. Jesus, this was going to be so hard. He was finally face to face with Anna, the sister he loved so much, standing here in her home where she'd just put his bags and Jack's in separate rooms. What the hell was she going to say about this? It was scaring the shit out of him.

"You want to come into the kitchen with me while I start dinner?"

"Sure, what are we making?"

You don't have to help; you can visit with me while I get it going."

"I don't mind, Sis."

"I know you don't, but I want you to relax. This is a vacation for you. Time to kick back, take it easy...let me wait on you, it makes me happy."

"Okay, I'll let you do your thing."

Anna started to get things out and began making a salad. She got Ennis a beer and he was glad to have something to do with his hands. "Sounds like you do quite a bit of cooking at home. Two bachelors, I'd think you two would end up going out a lot."

"We like to eat at home...With practice, Jack's gotten pretty good at cooking."

"You're not dating, either of you?"

Ennis cleared his throat. The time was now, no more waiting. This was his perfect opportunity. How much bigger of an opening could he ask for? "Uh, Sis," he started, not getting very far.

Anna waited but when Ennis didn't say anything else she said, "Yeah? What is it?"

"I have something to tell you...It's serious."

A concerned, worried look came across Anna's face. "You're scaring me," she said as she backed away from the food and wiped her hands on a towel.

"Calm down, I'm sorry. It's nothing bad, at least from my perspective it isn't."

"You're confusing me," she said, still looking concerned. "For heaven's sake, the way you said serious, you made me think someone was sick or something."

"No, it's nothing like that. I'm sorry."

"You keep saying you're sorry...just tell me what's on your mind."

"Okay..." Ennis took a deep breath and tried to look at his sister. "This is real hard."

"Just take it a step at a time..." Ennis avoided Anna's gaze as she tried to look him in the eye. Finally their eyes locked and she said sternly, "You can tell me anything, anything at all."

After a few quiet moments Ennis said, "Anna, Jack and I...Jack and I...the fact is, I love him, and he feels the same about me. We've been together that way the past couple years."

"Oh, my God, Ennis...the past couple years? And you're just now getting around to saying something about it?" Anna looked upset. Ennis could tell she was hurt. He wasn't sure if it was because of the situation he'd just told her about or if it was because he'd kept it from her, or a little of both.

"Well, you were living clear out here and..."

Anna cut him off, "Don't give me that, Ennis Del Mar...don't make an excuse for keeping me in the dark. Shutting me out! Why wouldn't you tell me?" she said in an angry voice. Then her tone changed and she simply sounded sad and defeated, "I can't believe this." She looked on the verge of tears.

"Sis, please don't cry, and please don't be mad." Ennis felt like crying himself.

"We've talked on the phone every week, and you just picked out certain things to tell me...you kept the most important part of your life from me. Why would you do that?" She still sounded angry. "Boy, I sure am dense," she said, near tears again.

"I was scared, Sis." Ennis said, not able to look at her.

"Scared of what, exactly? Scared of me, you own sister?"

Ennis tried to keep the waver out of his voice, "I didn't want to lose you."

Anna came closer to Ennis and took his hands in hers. "You'll never lose me, baby. I love you."

They hugged and both let tears fall. After a few moments Anna asked, "Am I the last to know?"

Ennis reached for a paper towel and tore it in half, handing one half to Anna and keeping one for himself. "I guess Jim will be the last to know." He smiled a crooked little smile and looked at Anna. He regretted that he'd waited so long to tell her.

"Are you and Jack okay? What did his folks say?"

"They've been good about it. Great in fact. But it was hard for Jack to tell them. We got through it though."

"Oh, my God, what about Alma...and Lureen?"

"We told them last summer and...well, you know Alma, she was angry and she had a hard time believing it...but she settled down and was alright when she had time to think. We don't talk about it much. She's pretty wrapped up in her relationship with Monroe. She has plenty to think about besides me."

"I should have known when you and Jack moved into that house. I just never put two and two together."

"I guess no one really did since we'd been friends for so long."

"I never even asked much about the house. Never asked if you bought it together, didn't really ask the details." Anna looked deep in thought as she said in a low voice, "Maybe deep inside I knew."

"Did you?"

"Come sit down." They went into the living room and sat on the sofa. Anna took Ennis' hands in hers and said in a soft voice, "When you and Keith were teenagers he came to me one time telling me he had a suspicion you might be attracted to boys rather than girls."

"He did?"

"It was around the time you two were spending all those weekends at the marina on your friend's boat. You remember those days?"

"Sure, some of the best days of my life."

"Well, I don't know what Keith noticed exactly. I didn't ask him for specifics. I actually thought he was off base and didn't pay much attention, and that was the one and only time he ever said anything like that to me."

"So Keith thought I was gay..." Ennis let that settle into his head. Long buried memories and feelings stirred inside him. He took a deep breath and let it out. "God, I wonder what he'd say if he was here today?"

"He'd say he loves you and wants you to be happy, that's what he'd say...the same thing I'm saying."

"Thanks, Sis...but you don't have to say anything you don't really mean...about yourself, or Keith."

"Well, speaking for myself, it doesn't matter who you love so long as they're good to you and they love you. And you know how I feel about Jack." She chuckled, "God, I was just telling you how good looking he is." Anna looked thoughtful and said, "He makes you happy? You're happy with your life?"

"God, yes. I can't imagine life without him." Ennis had to wipe his eyes with the paper towel.

"Are you sure? I mean, this can't have been easy. Are you sure the two of you..."

"Can make it? Is that what you're wondering?"

"I guess it is."

"Anna, Jack and I aren't two starry eyed kids. We've both been out in the world and know what it has to offer. Nothing was ever right till we found each other."

Anna touched Ennis on the face, looked deep into his eyes and said, "I can see you love him." She smiled and went on, "And as far as Keith goes. When he told me what he did, he wasn't upset about it in the way you might be thinking."

"He wasn't?"

"No...Keith wasn't that way at all, Ennis. He loved people, you know that. He became a cop so he could help people. He was open-minded and fair. He wouldn't have cared that you've chosen Jack. I'm sure of that."

Ennis looked at Anna with some apprehension. He didn't know if he believed her, but didn't say anything. She went on, "The reason he'd of been upset is….he knew what the world we live in is like. He wanted your life to be as easy as possible...for you to have it all, and knew anyone who is different in any way, isn't treated fairly. There are so many people out there who judge and try to make life hard for anyone who doesn't fit the mold. That's what he had in his mind when he told me what he did. He was worried, but he wasn't against that life style."

"I miss Keith so much," Ennis said.

"Me too." Both of them hugged and shed a few more tears.

"What do you think Jim will say?"

"Jim will feel just like I do. He's a good man...that's why I married him."

Ennis smiled and felt she was probably right. He hoped so anyway. He had the utmost respect for Jim and knew it would hurt like hell if Jim turned against him, or felt differently toward him.

"Well, shall we get back to the kitchen? You took up so much time, you just might have to help me now," she laughed.

"I'd be happy to help. Told you that in the first place...Uh, first I guess I'd better call Jack...tell him it's okay to come back."

"Well, I guess so! You shouldn't have sent him away. Is that any way to treat your fella?"

Fifteen minutes later Jack was back. Anna greeted him with a big hug and kiss, and a beer. Then she all of a sudden blushed and looked uncomfortable. She said, "God, Ennis, I wish you'd have told me about this before you came here. I feel so stupid for putting you two boys in separate rooms."

"That's okay, Sis, we can stay in separate rooms...really, it's okay." Jack gave Ennis a look and Ennis could just about read his mind as to what he was thinking.

"No way. Do you two sleep in separate rooms at home?"

Ennis felt his face getting hot. He wished his sister would refrain from asking questions like that.

"Well, do you?" she teased.

Ennis wasn't answering so Jack answered for him, "He used to make me sleep in my own room but I worked my way up to staying in the same room with him near a hundred percent of the time now."

"Jack, don't make it sound like that...there were reasons why..." He glanced at Anna and tried to clarify, "When the kids were there...at first...I thought it best to stay in different rooms...Oh never mind," he said.

Anna and Jack laughed, and Ennis felt extremely uncomfortable. "Ennis, we're not laughing at you, we're laughing with you," Anna said.

The three of them finished up in the kitchen and soon it was time for Jim to return from work. Entering the house he called out, "Anna, is that your Chicken Fricassee with Meatballs I smell? Where is everyone?"

After the four of them visited for awhile, Jack said he could use a nap before dinner, so made himself scarce in the bedroom so that Anna and Ennis could break the news to Jim.

Anna smiled and said, "Ennis told me some news today, and we want to share it with you."

"Oh? What kind of news? It must be good judging from the smile on your face."

"Yes, I think so, and I'm sure you will too," Anna said, giving Ennis a smile. Ennis stood up at this point, unable to relax. It took all he had not to start pacing.

Anna went on, "It seems our Ennis has found love. The real thing this time."

Jim looked at Ennis and said, "You have? Well, that's wonderful news." He stood up and shook Ennis' hand.

When Anna and Ennis remained silent, Jim said, "Why do I get the feeling there's more to this than meets the eye?"

Ennis cleared his throat and said, "Jim...it's Jack I'm in love with. It's Jack, and has been for quite awhile now."

Jim was silent for a few moments, then smiled and said, "I'll be damned." After the initial shock wore off he said, "Well, that's great. Where is that lucky guy, anyway? Why isn't he down here? He didn't leave the room on account of me, did he?"

Ennis felt relief rush over him and couldn't believe he had feared the worst from these two special people. He couldn't keep the grin off his face, anxious for Jack to join them.

They had a great dinner with everyone talking in a relaxed manner, and enjoying one another's company. At the end of the meal, Jim asked Ennis if the next day would be good for going to the hospital so he could show him around. Ennis was excited and said he was looking forward to it.

Anna looked at Jack and said, "Jack, would you like to go with me tomorrow? I need to do a tiny bit of shopping at the Apache Mall. Maybe we can all meet up for a late lunch after?"

"I'd like that, sounds good."

Jim teased, "You're a brave man, agreeing to go to a mall with Anna."

"Oh stop," Anna shot back.

That night, tucked away together in the blue guest room, Jack was smiling as he sat on the edge of the bed taking off his shoes, having just come back from the bathroom.

"What's that smile for?" Ennis asked.

"Just happy things went so well."

"Yeah me too...Glad that's why you were smiling...cause I hope you aren't entertaining any thoughts of us getting up to anything in this room tonight."

"Who, me?" Jack said with a grin.

"Jaaaack...I mean it."

"Okay, okay, I'll keep my hands to myself. Does that go for all three nights we're here?"

"Three nights..." Ennis thought hard on that. "I think we'd best plan on it," he finally said with not much conviction in his voice.

"How bout if we do it quiet and real neat?"

"Jack...just don't count on it."

Jack seemed content to leave it at that, and when Ennis returned from the bathroom they snuggled up in the bed. "The springs are nice and quiet," Jack said.

"Jaaaack...I'm warning you."

"What? I didn't say anything, just observing that the springs are quiet. I didn't mean anything by it," Jack said in a whispered voice.

"Yeah, and dogs meow and cats bark."

They laughed quietly, both aware of where they were, not wanting Jim and Anna to hear them. It had been a very long day and it wasn't long before they were both sound asleep.

...

The remainder of the trip was spent visiting and enjoying one another's company. Ennis was in seventh heaven having had a personal tour of the Mayo Clinic. He couldn't stop talking about it when they all had lunch later that day at Applebees near the mall. It wasn't until then that Anna commented on the rings Ennis and Jack wore, and she and Jim had a closer look. Ennis was relieved when Anna took it all in stride, just as she had everything else concerning the relationship with Jack.

Sunday was spent at the Silver Lakes Park. Anna had packed a picnic lunch to take along and they all enjoyed the crisp fresh air. Ennis and Jack were impressed with the man made lake and the Canadian geese that resided there. It was Jack's idea to feed them, so everyone else joined him and it was a beautiful sight seeing so many geese in the same place at the same time.

By the end of the trip, Ennis had pinned Jim and Anna down to coming to visit over the July Fourth holiday. He said hopefully they could have the kids that weekend and they'd all have a great time. He and Jack drove away that Monday morning with smiles on their faces. The weekend had started out with dread and had ended with joy.

_To Be Continued...  
><em>


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39 (This is the last chapter)

"It looks great."

"You sure?" Ennis asked as he furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, I'm sure. It's perfect. Anna and Jim are gonna be real comfortable in here."

"I hope so."

"Quit worrying."

Ennis joined Jack and Ace in the backyard after giving the guest room one last look. "What were you doing in there anyway?" Jack asked. "Helen just cleaned yesterday."

"Just wanted to make sure she didn't overlook anything," Ennis said.

"Relax, friend," Jack said as he put his arm around Ennis. "Your muscles feel tight. Looks like you're in need of a massage tonight."

Ennis let out a laugh but didn't say anything.

"What's that laugh for?"

"Nothin', just that I know what kinda massages you give...and what they lead to."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Jack asked as he put his hand into Ennis' back pocket and gave a little squeeze.

"Guess so," Ennis said. "May help to get it all out of your system so you won't be after it while company's here." A smile crept onto Ennis' lips.

Jack looked at him like he'd grown two heads. "Anna and Jim will be clear downstairs. There's no reason we have to hold back while they're here. And no way I can go that many nights when you're laying next to me, so don't even joke about it."

Ennis was amused that he'd gotten to Jack with his teasing. "Calm down, calm down. Now who's the one needing to relax, huh?"

"Not funny," Jack said, trying to keep a straight face.

"I like seeing you get all hot and bothered," Ennis chuckled.

"Whatever floats your boat," Jack said, trying to sound mad but failing.

They hooked their fingers into each other's belt loops and walked out toward the pool. "I'll get the grass mowed in the morning," Jack said.

"While you do that, I'll take a quick run to the grocery store to pick up the last of what we need. After we get all that done, it'll be time to pick up the kids."

"Sounds like a plan. Tony's Pool Service has the pool looking good. Should have fun in it over the holiday. Can't believe tomorrow's already July first."

"Time flies when you're having fun," Ennis said as he pulled Jack close and gave him a one-armed hug as Ace danced by their feet.

...

Anna and Jim's plane was due in at 8:00 p.m. on July first. After careful consideration they had decided Ennis would meet them by himself while Jack and the kids waited at home.

"If the kids can't wait up, just let them go to bed. It will be late when we get in," Ennis said as he prepared to leave.

"I'll get them into their pajamas and go from there."

A goodbye kiss was shared at the door, and Ennis was on his way. Jack noticed that Ennis seemed more excited than nervous about their first house guests, and he was relieved. Jack was excited and not concerned about this visit. There was no reason it wouldn't go well. Ennis and Anna had been talking on the phone every week as usual, and Anna always asked Ennis how his fella was, and when Jack answered, she was very friendly.

It was nearly 9:30 p.m. when Jack heard Ennis' car pull into the garage. He'd called from the airport to let Jack know that the flight was on time. Junior, Bobby, and Miss Kitty had fallen asleep on the couch, but when Ace barked softly they started to stir.

"They're here, you two. You feel like getting up to say hello?"

Junior and Bobby rubbed their eyes and yawned, but quickly realized what was going on and began to jump and dance. Between that and the car doors slamming in the garage, Ace was getting antsy.

"It's alright, boy. Sit down...Sit, Ace," Jack commanded. The dog obeyed, but as Jack and the kids headed to the door leading to the garage, he followed. Jack again told him to sit as he motioned with his hand, and he did.

When Ennis, Anna, and Jim stepped inside, everyone began greeting one another. Junior was in Anna's arms the minute she saw her. After Jack had hugged Anna and shook Jim's hand, he and Bobby hung back and Ace continued to sit, but softly barked while his tail swished back and forth on the floor. Miss Kitty had made her exit.

"Who do we have here?" asked Jim as he took a step toward Bobby. He kneeled down and introduced himself. "I'm Uncle Jim, and you must be Bobby."

Bobby wasn't shy and said in a loud, clear voice, "Yes, I'm Bobby. I'm thwee years old. I have two pets an two daddies."

Everyone laughed and Jim shook Bobby's hand. "Is that one of your pets there?" he asked as he looked at Ace.

"That's Ace!" Bobby proudly said.

"Come here, Ace," Ennis called, and Ace let Anna and Jim pet his head as he wiggled from head to toe.

"He's very well behaved, isn't he," Anna commented.

"Yeah, he's pretty good. I'm still working on his swearing when he drives..."

Anna and Jim stared at Ennis who said, "Oh, you mean Ace. Thought you were talking about Jack."

Anna and Jim laughed. Jack said, "Very funny," as he exchanged a fond smile with Ennis.

"What can I get you? I can make a snack if you're hungry," Ennis offered.

"We had dinner on the plane, but I might be able to eat a little something," Anna said. "Jim, how bout you?"

"Oh, I might eat a snack. What have you got?"

"We have some cookies and ice cream, or I could make you a sandwich," Ennis said.

"Cookies and ice cream sounds good to me. How bout you, Anna?" Jim asked.

"Yes, that sounds good."

"Why don't I show you to your room while Ennis gets it ready," Jack suggested.

"That sounds fine. It's getting late. Isn't it past the children's bedtime?" Anna asked.

"Yeah, they were sleeping on the couch before you arrived," Jack said as he and Jim took the bags and the three of them, followed by Junior, went to the guest room leaving Ennis and Bobby in the kitchen to get the bedtime snack ready.

After everyone finished their cookies and ice cream, Ennis convinced Junior to let go of Anna, who she'd been stuck to like glue ever since she'd arrived. "I want Aunt Anna to see my room," Junior said through a big yawn.

"It's late, darlin'. With the time difference it's even later for Aunt Anna. Let's save the tour till tomorrow. That okay with you?"

Junior reluctantly agreed, and Jack said, "Sweetheart, why don't you and Bobby head up and I'll be there to help you brush your teeth and tuck you in soon. Miss Kitty's probably been waiting on your bed."

Both the kids said goodnight and slowly walked up the stairs. A short time later everyone had turned in. It had been an exciting day for all.

...

During the next couple of days, everyone enjoyed kicking back and relaxing. They managed to take a drive to Marina Del Rey the Friday before the holiday. Ennis was in his element as he proudly took charge and showed off the boat as they enjoyed a tour of the harbor.

Before going back home they ate at Sapori Italian restaurant. They sat in the patio overlooking the water with a fantastic view of the sunset. Everyone agreed that the mixed appetizer was outstanding and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The kid's eyes were wide as they watched the waiter serve Anna's sea bass as it was dressed and plated table side. Ennis would remember that day for a long time. He was glad that Jack had taken his camera along to document their wonderful day out on the water.

That night lying in bed, Ennis went over the plans for their barbecue the next day, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything.

"I think the food's all in order, and we've got plenty of soda pop, beer, and ice," Ennis said in a sleepy voice. "The salmon's waiting in the refrigerator in foil with the lemon juice and seasonings sprinkled on. Corn on the cob's ready, watermelon's chilling. Oh, and I've got _your beans_soaking."

"Oh, yeah, thanks. I almost forgot about soaking them."

"Almost? You're in bed, Jack."

"Well, alright. Thanks for getting that done for me."

"No problem."

"Anna made two pitchers of sun tea today. She put them in the refrigerator when we got home," Jack yawned.

"With everyone pitching in with the food, it won't be hard."

"You're right. It'll be fun; everyone will have a good time."

"Can't believe you're not complaining about Aunt Betty coming to the party," Ennis said.

"Not when she offered to bake a stars and stripes cake," Jack said. "One thing about Aunt Betty, she knows how to bake a cake."

Ennis chuckled. "It was nice of Esther to offer to bring a salad."

"Yeah, she sounded real excited about it. Said it's red, white, and blue."

After a minute of silence, Jack propped himself up on his elbow as he turned toward Ennis and asked, "You tired, Ennis?"

"Why, what have you got in mind?" Ennis said in a whisper.

Jack moved closer, his lips inches from Ennis'. "Thought we might do some kissin'."

"Some kissin', huh?"

Jack smiled and gave Ennis an Eskimo kiss, then moved to his lips for a soft, barely felt kiss. Ennis responded with his own soft kisses and they continued for a time. Before long, the kisses grew in intensity with Jack beginning to suck on Ennis' bottom lip as they kissed. Soon Ennis grasped the back of Jack's head and brought him in for a long kiss complete with tongue. That's all it took for Ennis to forget how tired he was. He rose up and used his weight to push Jack to his back and take control.

Jack whispered, "No marks on my neck tonight," causing Ennis to snort out a laugh.

"None lower either in case you wanna get in the pool," Ennis said. They both slipped off their t-shirts, and their pajama bottoms soon followed.

All of a sudden Ennis said, "Shit, I gotta lock the door." He got up and darted to the bedroom door and was back within seconds.

Their bodies came together hot and heavy, their breathing becoming labored, hands feeling every inch of skin. "God, I love you," Jack whispered between kisses.

Ennis groaned as he kissed and licked Jack's neck. He used his tongue on Jack's ear and whispered, "I need you, baby."

Ennis had to hurry with the lube because he was quickly reaching the point of no return. He was barely inside and able to thrust a couple times before he was shooting. When he finished, he let his weight fall onto Jack, unable to find any strength to hold himself up.

After several seconds he rolled to the side, pulling Jack with him. He nuzzled Jack's neck as he spooned up behind him, just then feeling their bodies become disconnected. He closed his eyes and felt sleep start to take him when he realized he didn't think that Jack had come.

He snuggled closer and said, "Uh, sorry I was so fast...did you get a chance..."

Jack cut him off, "Thought you'd never ask."

"You still hard?"

"I can be that way again in just a second if you care to help me out," Jack said with a stifled laugh.

"No problem. I'm sorry...I didn't forget about you, honest."

"Could have fooled me," Jack said.

"Come here," Ennis whispered as he reached over Jack's side for his cock, which was becoming harder again already. He worked it over good, smearing the pre-cum around to make his fingers slip and slide, feeling Jack's balls become harder. Jack was sighing and moaning, letting Ennis know he was nearly there. Within seconds he shuddered as he spilled over Ennis' hand with a grunt. Ennis felt Jack relax into him when it was over.

"Better?" Ennis asked.

"Mmmmmmm," Jack murmured.

When strength returned, they cleaned up and before crawling back into bed, they checked on the kids, finding them and Miss Kitty sound asleep.

"Guess Ace stayed downstairs with Anna and Jim," Jack said.

"Yeah, looks like it's just you and me," Ennis said as they got into bed. They were asleep in under a minute, and they needed it so they'd be fresh for the next day's festivities.

...

The sun was already beating down at 8:00 a.m., and the forecast was for 85 degrees. After a quick breakfast, everyone began to prepare for the party. Each person had a job. Jack made sure his camera was ready before he started cooking the beans.

"Where'd Ennis and Jim get to?" he asked Anna.

From her seat at the kitchen table she said, "Ennis is in the backyard, and Jim went with Pete to get the balloons."

Jack was intrigued with what he saw, so he walked closer to the table to get a better look. "And what do we have here?"

"We're helping Aunt Anna made a centerpiece that you can eat," Junior informed Jack.

"Look, Daddy, cheese cubes an ham cubes. We put dem onto the twee," Bobby explained to his dad.

"What is that, an appetizer tree?" asked Jack.

"That's exactly what it is. We're using ham, cheese, pineapple, strawberries and cherries. Won't that be pretty?" Anna asked.

"It's really pretty," Junior said as she concentrated on her job.

"I'll say it is," Jack said as he reached for a piece of ham and popped it into his mouth. "Tastes good too. Now I need to get the beans cooking so they'll be ready in time."

"After we get this tree finished we'll go out and help Ennis get the yard decorated," Anna said.

"When the beans start simmering I'll come out too. I guess Ace is out there with Ennis."

"Ace went outside. He has to help Daddy Ennis," Bobby said seriously.

"I'm sure he's a big help," Jack smiled.

Ennis had the barbecue ready and had started decorating by the time the kids, Anna, and Jack joined him. He had the red, white, and blue striped table cloths on the tables with red and white petunias in bright blue pots as centerpieces.

"Let me set the paper plates, cups and napkins out," Anna said.

"Oh, how pretty," Junior said as she traced the little stars on the napkins with her finger.

"Bobby and Junior, come get the pinwheels and help me put them in the grass along the walk," Ennis said. "Jack, how bout putting the flag up?"

"I think I can handle that," Jack said as he headed to the flag holder attached to the eve. He stuck the flag pole in as he looked out to the lawn at Bobby, Junior, and Ennis sticking the patriotic pinwheels into the grass as Ace trotted after them. Bobby seemed more interested in making the pinwheels spin around as he held them while waving his arms.

"Bobby, no, they go into the ground," Junior instructed him.

Just then they heard Jim at the gate by the side of the house. He was trying not to let the helium filled red, white, and blue balloons get tangled in the shrubbery.

"Let me help you," Jack said as he jogged over to the gate.

"For heavens sake, don't let any of them go," Anna said. "Can you handle them all? Where's Pete?"

"He went to get Esther's Salad."

By then Jack had the gate open and some of the balloons in his grasp, and he and Jim proceeded to secure them along the porch.

"They look great. In fact, the whole yard does," Anna said as she admired their handiwork.

Just then Pete called out from the gate, "Here's the blueberry jello salad."

"Oh, that looks wonderful," Anna said as she went to retrieve it. "Are you coming in?" she asked.

"No, I'll go on home and be back later with Esther."

"Okay, we'll see you pretty soon," Anna said. "I'll take this inside and check the beans."

"Thanks for helping get the balloons, Pete," Jack called out.

"No problem," Pete called back as he disappeared from view.

...

The doorbell rang, and Jack was the first to reach the door with Ennis a close second.

"Hey, you guys," Jack said, as he let his mom and dad in, along with his Aunt Betty and Uncle Harold.

Ennis stepped up to help take the food Denise and Betty had brought. "Thanks for bringing the potato salad, Denise. It looks good," Ennis said as he took the bowl.

"Aunt Betty, this cake is huge," Jack said as Harold handed it off to him.

"Lucky we got it here in one piece," Harold said in his loud, jolly voice.

"Yes, it is," said Betty. "I was afraid your Uncle Harold was going to start eating it on the way," she said with a small laugh.

Jack was taken aback at seeing her laugh and joke. He thought to himself that he'd never really seen her act so cheerful, even on a holiday.

They all gave each other quick kisses and pats on the back as Jack and Ennis tried to balance the cake and salad. "We'd best get these put in the refrigerator," Ennis said. "Why don't you all go out into the backyard and join the others."

Soon everyone had gathered in the yard and served themselves cool drinks, then sampled the appetizer tree along with bowls of blue and white tortilla chips and salsa. As Ennis tended to the grill, Jack grabbed his camera to get some candid shots.

As he walked around the yard, Ace was right at his feet. "How am I gonna get you in any of the pictures if you're sticking to me like glue, boy? Wouldn't you rather be over watching Ennis cook?" Ace ignored Jack, preferring to supervise the picture taking.

Ennis had introduced Harold and Betty to the Harpers, and Jack noticed Esther and Betty talking together. Seemed they had discovered they were both into crazy quilting so were in a very involved discussion on that. Jack caught a few words here and there: blocks, embellishment, and embroidery. Somehow he had never pictured Aunt Betty doing anything crafty. _Guess you can't judge a book by its cover._

Harold and Pete were having a conversation of their own about crazy quilts. "It's just an uncoordinated jumble," Jack heard Harold say. Pete seemed to agree as he added, "Very haphazard." As Jack snapped pictures he heard Harold say in his booming voice, "That's why they call it crazy!" The two men laughed as if Harold had told a hilarious joke.

"How's it going?" John asked as he came up behind Jack handing him a beer and holding onto one of his own.

Jack let his camera come to rest on his chest. "Real good. I'm glad Anna and Jim are here."

"So, you like this set of in-laws better than your last ones, huh?" John smiled.

"Well, uh..."

John laughed, "It's okay. It's obvious that you and Ennis are better suited than you and Lureen were, so that makes a big difference." John patted Jack on the back and said, "I'm going to see if Ennis needs any help with the grilling."

Jack looked over and could hardly tear his eyes away from his handsome, sexy, doctor in Levi's cargo shorts and red sleeveless t-shirt with the sun shining down on his sandy curls. He looked happy, and that filled Jack with a peaceful contentment.

What made him even more at peace was seeing the easy way John and Ennis related. Sometimes Jack couldn't believe that was his dad. For that matter, Aunt Betty seemed like a different person too. Jack didn't know what exactly had caused the change between him, his dad, and his aunt. Maybe some of the problems had come from a darkness inside himself all those years. He had tried to live a life that wasn't right for him. He was never totally happy, not until he found Ennis and allowed himself to be who he was. Maybe when that darkness left him it allowed his relationship with his dad to improve to this point.

Jim, Anna, and Denise were being entertained by Junior and Bobby. As Jack took pictures, he could hear Junior talking very seriously. "I can swim like a fish and I love to be in the water. Someday I'm going to learn to surf in the ocean!"

"My goodness," Anna said. "Maybe I'll get into the pool with you after lunch."

Not to be outdone, Bobby said, "My daddies teach me to swim. I won't drown cause I know how to swim like the fishies in the quarium!"

"That's wonderful," Jim said as he tickled Bobby's tummy making him laugh and jump.

"All children should learn to swim," Denise said.

"Someday I'm going scuba diving." Junior said.

"Me too." Bobby shouted.

"Looks like Ennis and Jack have their hands full," laughed Jim.

It wasn't long before Ennis had the salmon and corn on the cob ready, so Jack joined him to help serve the food. Everyone filled their plates. Denise and John helped the kids, and everyone found a place to sit at the tables under the shade tree.

Everyone raved about the food. "This is some good salmon, Ennis," Pete said. "Don't know when I've tasted better."

"It's delicious," Esther agreed.

"That it is," remarked Denise. "And Esther, I must have the recipe to this blueberry salad. It's beautiful as well as delicious."

As she cut into it with her fork, Anna said, "It must have taken a long time to make in these layers. Looks so nice served in that glass bowl too."

"Well, I think Jack did a real good job with these beans," Harold said with enthusiasm. "I think I'll have to have a second helping."

"As well as a second helping of everything else by the time you're through I'm quite sure," Betty joked.

Ace tried to get close to the table once, but Jack gave him a command to go sit, and he listened and obeyed.

"You should take up dog training on the side," John said.

Jack laughed, "He was partially trained when we got him, so it was pretty easy."

"Well, Max was a good dog too. Knew how to mind," John said.

"Too bad we can't get Miss Kitty to mind," chuckled Ennis.

That brought a laugh from everyone who had ever had a cat.

"Have you gotten Jack to play the piano for you yet?" John asked Jim.

"No, not yet," he answered.

"Well, be sure you do before you leave."

"We'll do that."

"Were you able to go see Jack's photo studio?" John asked.

"No, we haven't been downtown," Anna said.

"If you have time, maybe he'll take you. It's something to see," John said.

Ennis smiled at Jack. Jack had a hard time finding his voice but said, "Guess we could have gone yesterday on our way to Marina Del Rey."

"Too bad we didn't think of it. We'd love to see it," Anna said.

"I'll bet you enjoyed the boat, didn't you?" Denise asked.

"It was something else," Anna said.

"We love the boat!" Junior said.

"Yeah, boat is cool," said Bobby.

Betty's red, white, and blue flag cake was a hit with everyone, especially Junior and Bobby. "You make one mean cake, Aunt Betty. And I mean that as a compliment," Jack said.

"Thank-you, Jack, I'm glad you like it."

"What's not to like?" Harold said as he shoveled a large bite into his mouth. "I'll get some of that watermelon after the cake."

The conversation was easy and pleasant throughout the meal. Ennis whispered to Jack, "We got a good group of folks here." Jack looked into Ennis' brown eyes and smiled.

When lunch was finished, the ladies all pitched in and put the leftovers away while the men stayed in the yard talking baseball and watching Junior and Bobby play with Ace. The plan was to let their food settle and then whoever wanted to would get into the pool.

When the ladies returned, Jack stood up and said, "Before we change clothes to go swimming, how bout if we all gather around and I'll take a picture of the whole group. I'll use the timer with the camera on the tripod."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Harold said. "Come on people, gather around," he said in a loud voice.

Ennis and John grabbed chairs and discussed who should sit and stand where. They looked to Jack's expertise to tell them where the best lighting was and where everyone would look best in the picture. Soon the others started giving their own suggestions. With everyone talking at once, including the kids trying to holler over everyone, Ace began to bark. Jack gave a loud whistle to signal everyone to be quiet and listen.

"We need to take into consideration what color everyone is wearing and who the tallest couples are...Let's sit the ladies in the chairs and us men will stand behind." He directed Betty and Denise into the chairs in the center, and Anna and Esther on opposite ends with their mates behind.

"Bobby and Junior, you two kneel here in front on the grass," Jack instructed.

"I wanna sit on grandma's lap," Junior said.

"Well, okay, that'll work. Dad, how bout holding Bobby then? Ace can sit in front on the grass," Jack said, still thinking of who looked best where.

When it was settled, that left Ennis and Jack to take up the ends in the back. "But you two should be standing together," Aunt Betty said, surprising the heck out of Jack. He was beginning to wonder who this woman was who showed up at the party.

"Yes, the boys should be together," Anna agreed.

"Jack needs to stand on the end so he can run back and get into the picture easily from the tripod," Ennis said.

"Everyone in back, just shift to the left so they can stand together on the end," John said.

"That'll work," Jim said.

"Okay, everyone get into place and get ready. Ace, here boy, sit," Jack commanded. "Stay."

Jack noticed Ennis standing in his place with a broad smile plastered across his face. "You ready, Ennis?" Jack asked.

Ennis chuckled, "Yeah, I was just noticing the cat there at the window looking out. She must think we're all crazy."

Everyone looked and couldn't keep from laughing. Bobby shouted, "Kitty, Kitty!"

"Okay everybody, listen up, that goes for you kids too. I'm gonna push the automatic button and then we don't have long to smile and look at the camera. When the light starts blinking real fast, that's your signal to be ready, got it?"

"Don't fall down getting over here," Ennis joked.

"Well, if I do, we've got two doctors on the premises," Jack said.

With everyone talking and laughing, Jack had his doubts how well the picture would turn out, but he pushed the button and hoped for the best as he briskly walked back to join his family and friends. Ennis took half a step toward Jim to give Jack plenty of space and put his arm around Jack's shoulder, pulling him close. Jack placed his arm around Ennis' waist, all the while the little red light on the camera blinked.

"Everybody smile and keep your eyes open. I hope Ace looks at the camera," Jack said.

"Say cheese," shouted Harold.

"CHEESE!" everyone repeated.

The camera clicked and the moment was frozen for all time. It was a fourth of July that would be remembered forever. Ennis gave Jack a tight squeeze and said in a low voice, "A perfect day, huh?"

Jack answered, "With the perfect partner."

"Right back 'atcha," Ennis said with a grin.

THE END

Thank-you everyone who read, and especially the ones who left feedback. :)


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